The Second Generation Cardcaptors
by Digidynasty
Summary: (Complete) Sakura and Syaoran have two beautiful children, Makoto and Meeko (Twins). When the Clow Book is opened once more and a second set of Clow Cards flies out, will the twins, along with thier friends, Shinji and Akiko, be able to seal them all?
1. Discovery

**The Second Generation:**

**Discovery**

Konnichiwa!My name is Meeko!But to figure out who I am, I'm gonna have to go way back to before I was born.You see, my mommy and daddy met when they were about my age, that would be ten for all you rookies out there.They grew up together and after a few years, after my daddy got some sense knocked into his head by my uncle, he finally asked her to marry him.That's when me and my brother came into the picture, I'm sure I don't need to go into detail how that came around. 

My brother, Makoto, is my twin brother.We both have amber eyes with dark hair.Mom says we take mostly after dad.Whatever.I don't think that at all.You see, somehow, my brother and I can talk to each other, without saying anything at all.I think they call it telepathy.Makoto and I pinky swore we wouldn't tell a soul about it.Well I'm sure my mommy and daddy don't have anything like that, cause they would've said something.

One thing that really bothers me, is that orange stuffed animal that mommy insists having on her shoulder all the time!Daddy doesn't seem to mind, but there's something about the thing that bothers me.My brother senses it too.We played many a few pranks getting that toy away from mom and hiding it.But somehow, it always appeared on her shoulder the very next day!Mom never mentions anything about it being gone, so I know it's not what it appears to be.

We all live in Japan, and were a nice little family, well that's what I thought until a couple days ago.That's when everything went for a 360!In roller blade talk that's a full spin!Mommy and daddy showed me and my brother something I would never forget.Let me rephrase that…Li Kinomoto Sakura and Li Syaoran Card Captors showed us something I would never forget.

Confused?So was I.Here, I'll start at the beginning…

Meeko woke up, the same way she always did, on the bottom bunk of the bunk beds she had in her room, err, her and her twin's room.Makoto was sleeping on the top bunk, snoring so loudly, you'd think he swallowed a Scottish bagpipe or something!

Meeko slowly got up and climbed up to the top bunk.Hearing her twin snore was one thing, seeing him sleep was a totally different nightmare.Makoto could sleep in the strangest positions.It didn't matter if he was on the bed, of halfway off the couch!He'd still sleep like a log.

Unable to take the torture anymore, Meeko slammed her pillow down on Makoto's face.He wiggled a bit, screamed, and finally woke up.

"Why'd you do that for?!" He said drowsily.He rubbed his eyes and glared at his sister.

Meeko giggled."Now you do look like daddy!!"She jumped down and grabbed some clothes out of the closet."Could you sleep any noisier!?"She yelled as she went to the bathroom to change.

"It's not my fault!"Makoto retorted."That dang dream kept me up last night!"

Hearing this Meeko threw open the door, unknowingly walking in on Makoto trying to change out of his P.J.'s."Hey!"He protested and pulled up his jean pants.

Meeko rolled her eyes."Oh like I haven't seen you in your boxers before."She went to the dresser drawer and pulled out a shirt.She threw it at him and sat on her bed, pulling her legs up to her chest."What was the dream like this time?Was it any clearer?"

Makoto slipped the shirt on and sat next to her."Well, I saw a baton with a bird on it…"

"And a sword with a green stone."Meeko added.

Makoto nodded."There was a book with all the cards, with weird writing on them.They each looked different."

Meeko thought about her version of the dream, for she too had had the same dream."I remember a lion looking creature, kinda protecting us.You think we should tell mom and dad?"

Her twin shook his head, causing his bangs to fall over his eyes."They might send us to the loony bin."He held out his pinky finger."Swear you won't tell anyone."

Meeko looked at the finger and back up again to her brother."I…I can't.What if something happens?What if mommy and daddy get hurt?"

"Doesn't matter…"

"But it does matter!"Meeko shouted and stood up.

"Kids!Breakfast's ready!"Their mom called from down stairs.

"Coming!"Meeko said, leaving their room, and a worried Makoto sitting on the bed.

"You don't know all that I saw, or you'd walk your self to the loony bin, Meeko."With that he got up and walked down stairs, to hopefully enjoy one more normal meal, before anything from the dream came true.

Li Kinomoto Sakura stood over the burner, making her famous pancakes.Suddenly, strong arms came from behind her and wrapped her up in a big hug."Hoe!"She giggled, as Li Syaoran gently kissed the back of her neck, sending shivers up and down her spine.

"Ohayo, Li Kinomoto Sakura-san."He greeted.

She turned and met him with a smile."So formal?What have you done thins time?"She joked.

He laughed and pulled her closer."Nothing, I just love the way your name sounds."

She put a finger to his chin. "Glad I kept my maiden name, ne?"

He shrugged."I just feel not all of you belongs to me."

"A girl's gotta have some freedom."

"Oh, so your saying I'm keeping you in a cage?"He gently squeezed her, making it unable for her to get away."Let's see how much freedom you have."He said as his mouth inched closer to hers…

A choking sound could be heard, ruining the moment and causing both adults to twirl around.Only to face a sick looking Keroberus, guardian of the seal."Do you really have to do that every morning?"He asked, floating up to Sakura's shoulder.

"Kero!We're married now!That's what married people do!"Sakura scolded him.

"Yeah, maybe, but your still acting like newly weds!"He said.

Syaoran continued to hug Sakura as she finished the pancakes."And what's so wrong with that?"

Kero growled."If you weren't married to Sakura I'd…!"

"You'd what?Nothing much a stuffed animal could do."Syaoran taunted.

"Why I outta…!" 

"Mommy!Daddy!Are you talking to someone?"Meeko called out, coming down the stairs.

Kero quickly went stuffed and Syaoran moved in front of him."No, just chatting between ourselves.

Meeko shrugged her shoulders and sat down at the table, followed by Makoto.

Syaoran sat at the table, as Sakura brought a big plateful of hit pancakes to the table.

After starting to eat, Syaoran tried to start up conversation."So…have any good dreams last night?"

This froze both children.Sakura sensed something."Are you okay?What's wrong?"

Meeko started to speak, when her brother interrupted her."Nothing.Just some dreams that we probably don't remember."He said._What are you trying to do?Get them mad at us?_He told his sister.

She slightly flinched with his tone.He immediately apologized._Hey, look…I'm sorry…_

__"I'm done.Gotta leave for school!See ya!"She got up from the table, taking her plate to the sink and went towards the door.

Makoto got up too."I'm done too."He said quickly and took off after her.They picked up their backpacks and went out the door.

Sakura sighed and started picking up the morning dishes.Syaoran started to help her.Kero let out a sigh and started flying around."They're hiding something."He said."I wonder what it is?"

Sakura rinsed the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher."I sensed something from both of them, they seemed scared about it."

"Probably just a nightmare."Syaoran reassured her, not liking to see his wife so worried."Besides…we're hiding something from them."

"It's for their own good!They're too young to understand and control their powers."Kero said."It's better to wait until their older."

Sakura sighed and leaned back into Syaoran's embrace."I know…it's just, I don't like keeping secrets like this."

Syaoran kissed her head and laid his head on hers."We do what we have to to keep them safe."

Sakura nodded."Alright.I just don't know how much longer I can hold this off."

Syaoran nodded his agreement, and exchanged glances with Kero._I don't think you'll have to wait that long._


	2. Shocking Revolutions

The Second Generation:

Ohayo again!Meeko here!I know last time I said my parents were cardcaptors, but I couldn't get that far before.I had to go to bed early, I do have school ya know.Gomannasai.When I did find out, it was quite a shock.One day I have normal parents, the next they're wielding wands and swords!How did I find out you ask?Well today I'll tell you.It happened the same day Makoto and I had that strange dream…

Meeko sat in class, trying to stay awake through math class.Dad had told her she took after mom in that respect.She was good at a lot of other things, sports for one.Makoto and Meeko were both good at sports, but Makoto ruled the soccer field while Meeko enjoyed volleyball.

"Li-san!"The teacher slammed on the desk, breaking Meeko away from her reverie.

She looked up startled."H…hai?"

"Pay attention!"The teacher scolded her.

Makoto, besides her, went on the defensive."You don't need to be so mean!She didn't mean to…"

"So you wish to defy me to?Very well!Detention for the both of you!"She started to walk away.

Meeko stayed silent, but Makoto stood up and slammed his hands down on his desk."That ain't fair!"He protested.

The teacher turned to him."One more word out of you young man, and I'll send you to the principle's office!"

Makoto was about to say more, when Meeko spoke up._Oniichan, don't._She warned._Let it go.It's okay._

_But it's not okay!_

_Makoto…_Makoto looked into his sister's pleading eyes.He sighed in defeat and sat down.

Their teacher smiled triumphantly before turning on her heel and walking back to the front of class.

Makoto pouted, then smirked as an idea came to mind.As their teacher took another step, Makoto used some of his power to hold back her foot, causing her to fall forward.Her ankle twisted as she fell.Everyone jumped up and ran to her.Makoto stayed in his seat, while Meeko ran outside to get some help.

After their teacher was taken to the nurse's office, on of the assistant principles announced that since their teacher was "indisposed" at the moment, they were release to go home.

Meeko scolded her brother as they walked home."You could've hurt her!"

Makoto shrugged."She had it coming."

Meeko growled and grabbed her brother's arm. "Come on!Let's go home!"

Syaoran practiced with his sword against Sakura using the Sword Card.They had made a room connected to the basement, where they could practice their powers.The room itself was surrounded by a magical barrier so their magic sensitive children wouldn't be able to sense it.

Syaoran, over the years, had toned his body into a muscular machine.Though married to him, Sakura still got chills every time she saw him shirtless.

She blocked another blow from her sparing partner.

Syaoran smirked. "Better pay attention, dear love.You're lucky I'm not using my full strength."

"Oh yeah?Is that so?"She drew upon the sword man's knowledge held within the Sword Card.She attacks Syaoran relentlessly, moving him back.Finally, she knocks the sword out of his hands and stops the sword an inch from his throat.She smirked."Maybe you should've used your full strength, ne?"She teased.

Syaoran smiled at his beloved Sakura, remembering another reason why he loved her so much.

Because of the barrier around the room, Sakura and Syaoran didn't sense their children coming home from school early…

Makoto opened the door and entered their house, followed by Meeko.

"You still didn't have to do that.Detention isn't so bad."Meeko said.

"Our teacher was way out of line and you know it!"He told her.They put their things down on the couch and went to the kitchen."Why are you sticking up for her!?"

Meeko opened the refrigerator, grabbing a carton of orange juice, while Makoto got some glasses.She shrugged."I don't know.Something inside me wants me to be nice."She admitted."There's something about her and I don't thins we should get on her bad side, that's all."

Makoto narrowed his eyes."Are you sensing something?"Meeko looked down at the ground, not responding.Makoto walked up to her."Spill it."

Meeko was about to say something, when she sensed something.

Makoto sensed it too and turned to the basement.Meeko grabbed his arm."Something's in there."She said with worry.

Makoto nodded and started towards the door that led downstairs.Upon entering, the feeling got stronger.The two slowly walked down the stairs keeping their eyes and ears open.

Meeko noticed that little stuffed animal mom always had was in a sitting position, in top of the washing machine.Its little beady eyes seemed to watch their every move."I don't like it down here."She commented.

_Shhh.You see that?_He pointed to a book on the shelf.The bookshelf covered the whole wall, and that one book glowed a golden yellow.

Meeko seemed to be drawn to it.She reached out, taking it off the shelf.Something unknown compelled her to want to open it.Her hand reached for the lock, her brother looking over her shoulder in anticipation…

"Stop!"

Meeko and Makoto whirled around and saw the most amazing thing.The little stuffed animal, with its bear ears and lion like body, actually moved!Not only did it move, but it flew into the air and floated above the ground!

As one, Meeko and Makoto let out a scream.

The wall of books disappeared, and out ran Sakura and Syaoran, still holding their swords.

This made both children scream louder.Kero flew in and tried to her the book.This alarmed the children.

"Get back!"Makoto threw his hand forward, using his power to blow Kero to the far end of the room.

"Kero!"Sakura cried, running over to pick up the little guardian beast from the floor, putting her sword away in the process."Oh, are you okay?"

Kero shook his head."That kid packs quite a punch."

Makoto narrowed his eyes."You haven't seen anything yet!"

_Makoto don't._Meeko held his arm back.In her other hand, she still held the book.The Clow Book.

Syaoran put his sword away and stepped forward.

This startled Meeko, making her put her hand forward, creating a red hued shield around her and her brother.

The two adults and guardian beast gasped."I knew they were getting stronger!"Kero said.

Makoto gritted his teeth."What's it to you!?"He demanded.

"Now that's enough."Syaoran scolded,"Calm down and let us explain…"

"Let you explain?!"Meeko said.

"You come in her, talking to a stuffed animal that is actually alive!Wielding swords and you want us to calm down!?"Makoto accused.

Syaoran sighed.He looked over at Sakura and Kero.Sakura was obviously worried for her children.Kero simply nodded to Syaoran.

Syaoran walked up to the edge of the shield, seeing Makoto supporting his sister who was having trouble maintaining the shield.He raised his hand and easily brought down the weak force field.

Meeko collapsed weakened, but stayed awake.Makoto held her close, glaring at their father.

"Now," Syaoran continued."Let's go and have all this straightened out."


	3. History Repeats Itself

The Second Generation 3

My turn!It's me Makoto!Since Meeko got the last two summaries, it's my turn to fill you in.Last time our teacher _really_ got on Meeko's case, which didn't suit well with me, so I taught her a lesson.(Meeko: Taught her a lesson?You twisted her ankle!)Shut up it's my turn you even said so now go away!Anyway, that teacher had it coming, but if I'd known what the feeling Meeko was having about her meant, I wouldn't have done it.The day had to take a weird twist when dad and mom come racing into the basement…carrying swords!!!!Meeko and me tried to defend ourselves against them and that weird stuffed…thing that mom carries around.Dad won out, so now we find out a past we never new existed…

Makoto sat down on the couch and helped his sister sit down next to him.He made sure she regained some of her strength before turned his attention to his father and glaring at him.

Syaoran and Sakura sat down across from them, Kero on her shoulder.Makoto narrowed his eyes at Syaoran."Come to tell us more lies?"He said coldly.

"Now don't use that tone with your father, Makoto."Sakura scolded.

"Why not? You've lied to use all these years."Meeko stated.

"Now wait.We didn't lie to you."Syaoran corrected."We only didn't tell you about because you weren't old enough."He looked once at Kero before turned back to his twin children.

"Well, we're old enough now.Tell us."Makoto said.

Meeko nodded her agreement."Yeah, tell us about our powers." 

Syaoran sighed.Kero got mad and flew off of Sakura's shoulder, into Makoto's face."Why don't you tell us about how you discovered your powers!"He demanded.

"I don't talk to stuffed animals!"Makoto replied.

"What?I dare you to say that again!"Kero challenged.

Meeko held back Makoto's arm, while Sakura held back Kero's tail."Kero, calm down."Sakura said.

_Makoto you too._Meeko told her brother.

Both Makoto and Kero turned their heads and crossed their arms.Syaoran let himself a little smile, regarding the scene and remembering how he used to treat Kero.Though he still did, it was funny to see his son react the same way to the sometimes-annoying guardian beast of the seal.

"How about we start at the beginning?"Sakura proposed."When I was about your age, I accidentally opened the Clow Book…"

"What's the Clow Book?"Meeko asked.

Sakura pointed to the large red and gold book under Meeko's arm."That right there.When I did open it and called upon one of the cards inside, Windy, and all the cards were released."

"So?" Makoto said."Just go around and capture them again.Doesn't seem to hard."

"It wouldn't be if they didn't change into their other forms."Syaoran joined the discussion."Each card has its own power.When they were released they weren't cards anymore.Windy was wind and snow was snow…"

"We get the point."Makoto interrupted.

"I was in Hong Kong when it happened."Syaoran continued."So I came to Japan to help your mother capture them."

"We became cardcaptors and started collected them all.Which may sound easy, but it was more difficult then I could imagine."Sakura explained."It took us two years to capture them all, afterwards I turned them into Sakura Cards with Eriol's help."

Meeko frowned."Eriol?You mean cousin Tomoyo's husband?Akiko's dad?"

It was already known that Tomoyo had married Eriol, and now they had a beautiful daughter, Akiko, who used to play with Meeko and Makoto, since they lived in the same town.Tomoyo and Eriol lived about two blocks down the street.

"Yes, Eriol.He is also the reincarnated Clow Reed, the creator of the cards."Sakura told them."See?"She took her card out of her pocket.They were pink and yellow, each with a different name on them.They also had Sakura's name on the bottom.

Meeko and Makoto stared at the cards with wonder._Almost like the ones from our dream!_Meeko observed.

Makoto looked up."What do the Clow Cards look like?"

Syaoran put a hand to his chin."Well, they resemble the book, they were also gold and red."

"Did they have the symbol of the sun and moon on them?"Meeko asked, but then caught her mistake but it was too late.

"How'd you know that?"Syaoran asked.

Meeko looked to Makoto, but he was looking mad for her slipping out their secret. She looked down at the ground."I don't know.Just a guess."

Kero snorted."Yeah right, 'just a guess' my furry behind!"

Meeko glared at Kero."It's none of your business!"

Sakura gently smiled and placed a hand on her daughter's."Don't worry.You won't get in trouble.But please tell us how you know."

Meeko looked once again to her brother, who waved his hand telling her to say what she knew, since it was already too late.She sighed."I…I had a dream.There was a staff with a bird on it…and a sword, like daddy's."She looked up at her father, a look of surprise in his eyes, then back at the ground."There's a giant animal, lion-like, that protects us."Kero perked up at hearing this.

Meeko closed her eyes, wanting to forget the next part.Makoto felt her pain and whispered in her ear."You know the rest don't you."It was more of a statement then a question.She nodded.

Makoto rubbed her back, trying to calm her down, and decided to finish the dream for her."There's a dark shadow.She tries to get the Clow Book.We fight her, but we don't know all of our powers.She uses some kind of spell and the cards go everywhere.Then she…" He choked, afraid himself of what might happen."She comes after us."

Sakura looked worriedly over at her husband.He was worried too.This was not good."You guys shared this one dream?"They nodded."Well, don't worry.We're going to teach you how to use your powers.Whoever this is, she won't get to you."

Meeko looked up with tears on her cheeks and her eyes."Promise?"

Syaoran smiled gently at his daughter."Promise."

She smiled and ran into his arms.He hugged her back.Makoto just sat there, trying to take it all in."Do you have any proof?"

Sakura smirked."I don't."She looked over at Syaoran."But your cousin Tomoyo does.I'd say it's time for a visit."Syaoran groaned.

The three children sat in front of the T.V. and watched as Tomoyo put in one of her many videos into the V.C.R.She smiled at her daughter, Meeko and Makoto."Now just sit and watch these videos, and then tell me if you don't believe what your parents are telling you."She turned and walked out of the room.

Akiko smiled and looked at her best friends.She was small for ten, but her purple eyes gave her a mature look.She had inherited Eriol's blue hair, which was long and pulled back into a braid which came down to her waist."So, are you guys excited?"

Makoto raised an eyebrow, and Meeko groaned."Excited is not the word I'd choose to describe this."

Akiko frowned."Well, you guys just found out you have magical powers.Isn't that cool?"

Makoto looked at her."Not when some one is after you for it."

That silenced Akiko.The video started and together they watched the adventures of Cardcaptors Sakura and Syaoran that Tomoyo had been able to record.

Out side the room, the parents sat around a table, drinking tea, discussing the latest events.Kero was sitting in the middle of the table, stuffing his face with cookies."So, they know about their powers?"Eriol asked, sitting next to his wife, Tomoyo.

Syaoran nodded."They also know how to use them, somewhat, but not very well.Have you told Akiko?"Eriol shook his head.True, Tomoyo and Eriol had not told Akiko about her own powers, they were going to wait, though with Meeko and Makoto knowing, they knew their time was up.

Tomoyo frowned."Have they found the Clow Book?"

Sakura nodded."They were about to open it, but Kero stopped them.That's when all the trouble started.They seemed to have had a dream about the Clow Cards."

Eriol straightened."What kind of dream?"

"They see the Clow Cards, the sealing wand, and my sword.They also see Kero's full form.Why…I'm not sure.But then the dream takes a twist."Syaoran explains.

"They have an unknown enemy.One that wants the Clow Cards."Sakura said.

Tomoyo was confused."But aren't the Clow Cards, Sakura Cards now?"

Eriol shook his head."That's true, but that doesn't mean the Clow Book is empty."

Syaoran frowned."What does that mean?"

Eriol took a sip of tea before answering."There's a written prophecy that states 'There will be a time when children will take their parents place, using the weapons of the past.They will learn and train with the Clow Book's contents, to defeat their darkest foe'.That might mean there is something in the book now that might help us."

Sakura bit her lip and look towards the room where the children were watching the films."I'm going to go and find out."She got up and the other three adults followed her.

Meeko and Makoto's eyes went wide as they watched the very same mother that they had seen make breakfast, send them off to school, and tuck them in bed, jumping buildings, flying on her wand, dodging lightning bolts, and fighting a thunder beast!Their dad was there too, but he seemed darker than he was now.He told their mom to use the Shadow Card to capture Thunder, which made little sense to the fourth graders.Right when the ten-year-old Syaoran released his lightning attack, the door opened, frightening the children, making them scream.

"Whoa, it's only us."Syaoran assured.

Akiko jumped up and ran to her mother."That was the coolest footage mom!"

Tomoyo smiled at the compliment."Well, it's not my best work, but it was a great capture."

Meeko got up, along with Makoto, and walked to their parents."Okay, we believe you."Makoto said gruffly."But what we were wondering was…"

"Could you teach us that stuff?"Meeko finished excitedly. 

Makoto glared at her, but she just stuck her tongue out at him."Don't act like you weren't gonna say the same thing, because you were the one who said it first before!"Makoto pouted, but did not deny the accusations.

Syaoran let out a laugh."Well, you'll learn in due time."

Meeko jumped up and down, and Akiko joined in."Mommy, can I record them with the new video camera you got me?"She asked her mother.

Tomoyo nodded."I already made some matching starting costumes for them, just until you can make them yourself."Sakura and Syaoran both looked at her in astonishment."Well, I knew they'd find out sooner or later."Sakura sweat dropped.

Eriol came up to Syaoran and whispered."History repeats itself, ne?"

Syaoran groaned.

Then Meeko remembered.She brought out the Clow Book, which she'd been holding onto."Can I open it now?"

Sakura was hesitant."Well…" She was cut off by the room's large window crashing open, and the room instantly filled with wind.

Sakura took out her wand, while Syaoran brought out his sword.The adults made a barrier in front of the children, which were cowering behind them.Kero was about to transform, but thought better of it and floated above Sakura's head, facing the enemy.Makoto stood in front of the girls, trying to be brave, like his father, but was still shaking with fear.

Through the window, came a dark figure, wearing a robe that hid her face.

Meeko's eyes went wide."That her!The women from my dream!!"

Syaoran narrowed his eyes."Who are you and what do you want!"

Eriol stood besides Syaoran, while holding Tomoyo's hand, to keep her calm.

"I want the Clow…" She pointed and Meeko felt the Book being pulled from her grasp.

"No!!!!"She held onto it tight, not letting this person get what she felt was hers.She added in some of her power, and felt Makoto grab it and add in some of his.

The woman was not happy and tried harder to get the book.The adults tried to help, but found they were frozen in their places, unable to help their children.

With all the power that Meeko and Makoto were using to hold onto the book, the seal was unlocked…

Suddenly, the book flew open and inside were the Clow Cards!Just like the previous set!The adults gasped at the sight.How was that possible?The wind in the room increased and the cards were clown out of the book all over the room.The woman tried to catch them and in the process, let go of the adults and Clow Book.Syaoran acted fast.He threw his sword forward, not needing to use the incantation anymore, and released his lightning attack, though stronger than before.

The woman screamed and was blown out of the window.Her powers gone from the room, Meeko and Makoto collapsed.

Sakura and Tomoyo tended to the children, while the men ran to the window to see the woman, but she was gone…and so were the cards."Did she get them?"

Eriol shook his head."They've been released."

A sense of dread crossed Syaoran's face as he turned and went back to Sakura's side.Meeko was crying and Makoto was a little shaken up.Akiko was crying in her mother's arms.

Meeko clutched Sakura tightly."M…mom…I'm so sor…sorry."She sobbed.

"Shhh.It's okay."Sakura assured her."We'll get them back.You did a good thing tonight.You made sure that evil woman didn't get them."

Syaoran went over and helped Makoto to his feet."That was a brave thing you did, son.Protecting the girls like that.I'm very proud of you."Makoto said nothing, only nodded.

Meeko sat on the rooftop of Tomoyo's mansion.Tomoyo had invited Sakura's family to stay the night, and Sakura accepted.They were all having ice cream inside the house, but Meeko didn't feel like having anything right now.She just wanted to sit outside, watching the stars.

She looked up and sighed."Why did this have to happen?"She asked.

"Because its destiny."A voice said.

Meeko turned around and found her mother walking over to her."How'd you get up here?"

Sakura smiled and sat next to her daughter."You're not the only one with magical powers."She winked, and Meeko smiled.

"I just don't see why I was chosen to capture the cards, or have magical powers.How knows if I'm up to the test?"Meeko asked.

Sakura looked up."You don't.When I opened the book, and lost all the cards, I made a promise with Kero that I would capture all of them.Sometimes I wasn't sure if I could, but I never gave up."

Meeko looked at her mother in a new light.She always though her mother had it easy, now she saw how wrong she was."Will we find them all?"

"We have to.We can't let anyone else get their hands on them."Sakura replied.

Meeko nodded and looked up at the stars."Now then."Sakura said."Why don't we go inside and have some ice cream?There's still some chocolate left."

Meeko smiled and Sakura took her hand and led her off the rooftop.Meeko tool one last look at the stars and saw a shooting star.She closed her eyes._May I live up to my parent's expectations and bring in the Cards of Clow._Then she went back inside.

Little did she know, but that star stopped its stellar trip in midair, and twinkled.Another wish might be granted.


	4. Night Flight

The Second Generation 4

Syaoran drove his family home, and the children went up to their room.It was Saturday, so everyone decided to take a rest.Meeko brought up the Clow Book with her to the room, though Makoto protested.

"There's no reason to keep it Meeko.It's empty.We lost them."He pointed out.

Meeko climbed the ladder to her bed and sat down."So?Maybe there's something here that can help us."

Makoto joined her and sat down next to her."Help us do what?"

"Capture the cards."She said as a matter of a fact.

"Nani?Why?Let mom and dad do it."He argued.

"No."She said sternly."We lost the cards, and we're gonna get them back.Now you can either help me or go away."

Makoto smirked."Like I'm going to let you have all the fun."

Meeko smiled and slowly opened the book.There was a bright flash and Meeko and Makoto watched as two keys came out of the book.

A bird headed key came to Meeko and a small blue sword came to Makoto.When they reached for the keys, the keys grew to a staff and a sword.They grabbed them.

They held the weapons carefully.

"Wow." Meeko whispered.

"Whoa." Makoto echoed.

Suddenly the bedroom door flew open and Sakura and Syaoran, along with Kero, came barging in."What's going on in here?" Syaoran asked.

Then they saw they're children handling their old weapons.Kero shook his head."Another generation of cardcaptors is born."

The family sat around the table and ate dinner in silence.Meeko and Makoto wore the keys that had been passed down to them on their necks.What Meeko couldn't understand is why is caused their parents such distress?They were given something very special, a chance to follow in their parents' path.Their parents should be proud of them, shouldn't they?

"Mom?"Meeko asked quietly.

"Yes dear?"Sakura responded.

"How come you and dad are so scared?"She asked innocently.

Syaoran chokes, while Sakura dropped her fork."Well, sweetie.There's a chance you might get hurt."Sakura told her daughter.

"Some of the cards are gentle, like Windy or Wood."Syaoran explained."But others…like Shot and Thunder, can be violent and dangerous.We're just worried for you."

"Don't worry about us!"Makoto said confidently."We'll get them all back!"

Syaoran smiled at his son's courage, though misguided by nativity.

Meeko thought for a moment.She felt something, but what was it?"How do you know when a Clow Card is nearby?"

Sakura seemed disturbed by the question, but Syaoran replied with a frown."You can usually sense it.Why?"

Meeko smiled."Oh, no reason."

Makoto raised an eyebrow._You do sense something, don't you?_

_Yeah, but let's check it out later.I don't want to worry mom and dad._

_Fine._Makoto reluctantly agreed.

When the children went back up to their room after dinner, Syaoran called Eriol."You sense it too?"

"Yeah, there's a Clow Card around." A voice came over the speaker.

"Do we let them capture it?"

"You have to."

"Can we help them?"

"You can advice them, but you can't aid them in the capturing of the card."Eriol explained.

"Why not?"

"They have to learn on their own…"

Meeko and Makoto sat in their room, as the feeling of the Clow Card grew.

"How do we know what card it is?"Makoto asked.

"I'm not sure."His sister replied."But I do know there are 52."

"How do you know that?"

Meeko smiled and brought her hands to reveal…

"The Sakura Cards!"Makoto exclaimed."How'd you get those?"

Meeko shrugged her shoulders casually."Having a brother steal your stuff gave me all the tricks in the book."She winked.

Makoto smiled."Let's do some card capturing."Makoto grabbed his skateboard and Meeko put on her skates and they snuck out through the window.

Sakura and Syaoran settled into bed, and Sakura looked over at her dresser.She frowned."Do you know where my cards are dear?"

Syaoran came around from the other side of the bed and peered over her and saw they were gone."No."

"Then who…"

Immediately both parents got up and ran to their children's bedroom.They opened the door, but found no cards and…no children.Syaoran ran to the open window and saw a giant bird fly by the window, filling the room with a gust a wind.

"Oh no!"Sakura cried.

"The Fly Card!"Syaoran slammed the window shut.He ran past Sakura and started down the stairs.

"Wait!"Sakura called."We can't help them, remember!"

Syaoran called out his sword, and squeezed the hilt."Then I guess I'm going to have to do some advising."

"Hold on."Sakura ran back into the bedroom and brought out two robes.She threw one to Syaoran."Don't want the whole neighborhood to know what kind of boxers you wear do you?"

Syaoran looked down and noticed he was still wearing the boxers he was planning to wear to bed.He blushed.He and Sakura quickly put on their robes, Sakura had to cover that thin nightgown she was wearing, and ran outside after their kids…and the Fly Card.

Meeko and Makoto were ahead of the Fly Card by about one block."Got any ideas!"Meeko yelled.

Makoto skated on his skateboard faster."How about the Windy Card!Isn't that how mom caught it?"He yelled back.

Meeko nodded and turned around.She brought out the Windy Sakura Card and her wand.She stopped."Wait!What do I say?"

Makoto stopped and ended up next to his sister."Wasn't it something like…Windy?"

Meeko smiled bashfully."Oh yeah."She threw the card in front of her."Windy!"She hit the card, but there was a bright flash, and the card floated down to the ground.She picked it up and looked at her brother."What happened?"

Makoto shrugged, and then noticed Fly."Let's book it!"

Meeko and Makoto started racing away from the Fly card again.The giant bird blew huge gusts of wind at the two rookies.Meeko almost lots her balance, but Makoto grabbed her hand and steadied her.

She smiled."Arigatou."

He winked."What's an oniichan for?"He noticed they had gained some room and screeched to a halt, his sister did also simultaneously."Now, we have a card to catch!"

Meeko got an idea."And I know how!"She turned to the quickly approaching bird.Raising the wand above her head, she moved it in a large circle, and it formed a red hued sphere, just like her shield before.

Makoto caught on."Catch ya sis!"He got ready.

"Now!"Meeko threw her hands forward and the sphere grew until it held the Fly Card still.She used her powers to shrink it, made sure it couldn't move."What are you waiting for?"She shouted to her brother.

"Right!"Makoto used his power and pulled down Fly's wings, latching it to the ground.

"On three!"Meeko yelled."One…two…THREE!!!"As one they let go, leaving the Fly Card immobile.Before it could react, Meeko brought up her wand, much like she'd seen her mother did in the videos."Return to the shape you were meant to be!Clow Card!"The Fly Card turned into a card and floated to Meeko's hand.

Makoto came up and they shared a hi five."The Li twins make their first capture!"Then Makoto thought for a moment."But wasn't it… 'To thy true form, return, Clow Card?" (Japanese version)

Meeko stuck her tongue at her twin."So I made it up!I worked didn't it?"She gasped and Makoto turned around.

"Dad!"There Syaoran was standing, Sakura behind him, carrying his sword.Makoto fumbled for the right words."Well, you see it was such a pretty night, that we decided to go for a walk and…"

"Save it."Syaoran cut him off.

Sakura ran to Meeko and grabbed her into a hug."Are you okay sweetie, you could've been hurt."

"I'm fine mom."Meeko hugged her mom back."We made out first capture!"She showed her mother the Fly Card.Her mother smiled and nodded.

Syaoran looked over at his daughter."The Cards?"

Meeko swallowed hard under her father's look and handed her mother the Sakura Cards."They didn't work anyway."

"Well, they won't…" Sakura said."Unless you're Sakura."She winked at her daughter and Meeko smiled.

"I'd say it's time to go home."Syaoran said.They all walked home, once again in silence.

"What!"Makoto exclaimed."Grounded?"He couldn't believe what he was hearing."For what!Doing what we're supposed to?"

Syaoran shook his head."For going, one, without permission, and two, without telling your mother or me."

Sakura nodded her agreement."You could've gotten hurt."

Makoto rolled his eyes."But we didn't and we made a capture!"

"The ends don't justify the means.These things have to be done right."Syaoran argued.

Makoto pouted, but said no more."Now to your rooms.You still have to get some sleep."Sakura said.Makoto stormed upstairs, while Meeko went slowly after.

She reached the bottom of the stairs."Gomennasai."Then she silently went to her room.

Sakura sighed and Syaoran wrapped an arm around his wife."Makoto takes after you.He has your temper."Sakura giggled.

"Well, he'll grow out of it."Syaoran replied."Hopefully."

Sakura laid her head on Syaoran's chest."You think Kero will get mad we didn't wake him for this?"

Syaoran rolled his eyes."You can tell that stuffed animal in the morning."

Sakura giggle and together, she and Syaoran went back to the room, to hopefully have a good night's rest.


	5. Indoor Soccer

The Second Generation 5

Konnichiwa!I'm Akiko!You met me last time, the proud daughter of the, now married, Eriol and Tomoyo!Last time, our two young rookie cardcaptors made their first capture!The Fly Card!Meeko tried once to use her mother's cards, but that wouldn't work, because they only respond to their mistress.They were in for a real doozy when the Fly Card came after them!But my friends were quick on their feet!They used their innate magical powers to freeze the Fly in its tracks, and seal it!Though with their parents coming around the corner, they were grounded for a time.But am I the only one who thinks grounding them won't stop them?

Meeko sat on her bed, reading one of her father's old magic books, trying to find out more about who she was and what it was that she was expected to do.Not only her, but Makoto, her twin brother and fellow cardcaptor.

Meeko turned a page, when she noticed something.It was written in Chinese, but that was all right.Her father had taught her Chinese and Japanese, then also a little English, just in case.She tried to understand a certain passage in the book, but couldn't quite concentrate.

Bang!Bang!Bang!

That was the sound of her brother's stupid soccer ball bouncing against the wall.He was still mad about the fact that they were grounded for their little adventure.

Bang!Bang!Bang!

He continued to bounce the ball.The sound was getting to be very annoying for Meeko.She waited for him to throw the ball yet again, and then used her power to create a shield right in the ball's path.The ball hit her small red-hued shield and bounced back at Makoto.It smacked him in the head, knocking him to the floor.

Meeko couldn't help but giggle as stars flew in circles around Makoto's head.When he came around, he shot up and glared at his sister, veins popping out anime style."What was that for!?"

"For annoying me!"She accused.

He picked up his soccer ball, and plopped himself next to his sister."Whatcha readin'?" He asked.

"Magic."She said simply.

Makoto raised an eyebrow and peered over her shoulder to read the book, but upon seeing the text, said, "Chinese?"

"Yep."She lightly elbowed him."If you _had_ listened to Dad when he was teaching us, you would be able to read it too."

Makoto glared at his sister.She grinned, knowing full well what she had said was true.Makoto had been skeptical about the usefulness of learning Chinese and had paid little attention when Syaoran decided to teach them.

Makoto sighed."What does it say?"

Meeko began to read from the ancient book." 'If a cardcaptor uses a spell, or a card, it uses magical energy.When a cardcaptor is magically drained, to continue the spell, one starts to lose their life energy.For life energy and magical energy are directly linked.This can be the rise or downfall of a cardcaptor.'"Meeko frowned.

"So we used some of our magical energy last night."Makoto concluded.

Meeko nodded."We need to be careful and not cast too big of a spell until we're older."Makoto nodded his agreement.

"Kids!We're leaving!"Sakura called.

Meeko and Makoto got up and went downstairs.Syaoran and Sakura were standing by the door.Sakura wore a white-laced blouse and a yellow pleated knee length skirt.Syaoran wore a nice brown suit.

Sakura smiled."Your father and I are going out.We'll be leaving you two alone."

Makoto could barely contain his joy and whispered a "Yes!"

Syaoran raised an eyebrow."Don't think because we're leaving that it automatically means you're off groundation."

"We're leaving Kero…" Sakura added."To watch you guys."

Both children's mouths dropped."Nani!?"Meeko exclaimed.

"Stuffed animal plays babysitter?"Makoto asked.

Kero flew in and rammed into the back of Makoto's head. "That's Mr. Stuffed Animal to you, brat boy!"

"Kero!"Sakura exclaimed.

Makoto growled."I'll call you what I want to you miniature doggy chew toy!"

Kero had three veins popping out."Nani?!You want to know what I can do when I change into my full form?!"

Makoto crossed his arms, not impressed."And what would that be?A giant teddy bear?"

Meeko laughed."Monzaemon!" (Digimon joke)

Syaoran tried his best not to laugh, though he loved seeing his son really give it to the guardian beast; he had to be the mature one."Now, be good you too."

Meeko giggled."We will!"

Syaoran and Sakura smiled and left.

"I'm gonna go make something to eat."Meeko went to the kitchen.

Kero flew after her."Don't think you can tempt me with food!I'm not letting my guard down!"

Meeko shrugged."Fine then. I won't make you anything."

Kero freaked out."No!That's not what I meant!"Then he disappeared into the kitchen with Meeko.

Back in the living room, something was bothering Makoto.He could sense it.He looked around the room, trying to find the source of it.He heard something and walked over to the corner.The coffee table was tipped over on its side."Huh?"

Makoto bent down and thought he heared a growl.Then his amber eyes caught site of the pink tail.He frowned and reached out…big mistake.

Whatever was there totally freaked out and started bouncing around the room.Makoto dove for cover behind the couch while the little creature ricocheted around the living room.Makoto heard it bounce off the wall, the ceiling…the piano.

"Hey!"Makoto poked his head up and was smacked in the face with the pink creature.He fell down and it landed on his stomach.Makoto opened his eyes and saw the creature close up…

"No tomatoes."Kero reminded.

"Okay."Meeko replied getting annoyed, rolling her eyes.

"More mayonnaise."He told her.

"I said okay!"Just then, Meeko sensed something.There was a loud crash and Meeko heard her brother scream.

She dropped the sandwich and ran to the living room."Oniichan!"She ran in a saw everything in disarray.The coffee table was tipped over, the piano bench was over on its side, and the source of the crash was shattered all over the floor."Makoto that was mom's favorite vase!!"She scolded him.

Makoto got off the ground and looked at his sister, a black eye forming on his face."It wasn't me!"

Just then the pink thing shot into the living room, causing Meeko and Kero to dive for the floor."What is that?!"

"That's the Jump Card!"Kero told her.

"It's breaking everything!"Makoto shouted.

Meeko quickly used her power to make a shield around her, and then made a dash for the door.

Attracted by her magic, the Jump Card went after her, bouncing repeatedly off the shield.

Meeko got to the door and opened it, allowing the Jump Card out.She slammed the door after it.

Kero flew over to Meeko."Why'd you let it go?!"

"It would've destroyed the house!"She retorted.

"You're a cardcaptor now!You're supposed to capture the cards!"Kero replied.

"We will as soon as we make a plan."Makoto said.

"How?We're grounded remember?"Meeko told him.

"We'll just have to get someone else to bring it here."Makoto replied.

"And that would be?"Kero asked.

Makoto winked."Just leave everything to me."He went over to the phone.

Meeko put her hand on her forehead."Oh, boy…"

The doorbell rang and Makoto answered it.

"I'm here!"Akiko greeted happily, and then pulled out two costumes."Mom made these too!!"

Makoto sweat dropped.

Akiko aimed her video camera at the two newly dressed cardcaptors and zoomed in."Oh you two look so kawaii!!!"

Meeko looked down at what she was wearing.She wore a black, long sleeved shirt and black pants.A long black tail and black ears were added to finish the outfit.

"We choose the cat outfit because of its known agility!You'll be able to capture the Jump Card no problem!"Akiko explained.

"Guys do not dress up as cats!!"Makoto complained,"And I refuse to wear cat ears!"He shoved the ears back and Akiko and crossed his arms.

"Oh, but then you won't be twins!"She whined.

"We're not identical!"Makoto pointed out."Because I am not a girl!"

Akiko sighed in defeat."Fine, fine."She put them away and aimed the camera at Meeko.

"Release your wand."She asked.

"Now?"

"Of course!"

Meeko rolled her eyes, but smiled."All right."She took out her key. "Oh key of Clow, bestowed by right.Surrender the wand.Surrender the light.Release!!!!"The key swirled and turned into a wand, which Meeko grasped and held strongly in both hands.

Akiko jumped for joy and turned to Makoto."Now…Nani?"She saw he had already retrieved his key and it was now a sword.

Makoto smiled."Too late."He turned to his sister."You know the plan?"She nodded.He looked at Akiko.She nodded."All right."

He cupped his hands in front of him and began to form a blue sphere.It turned into a solid ball."Akiko?"He said.

She stared at wonder at the magic with wonder, and then carefully took it in her hands.

"He should be attracted to the magic in the sphere.When he starts to follow you, bring him here."Makoto reviewed.

"We'll take care of the rest!"Meeko said confidently.

Akiko nodded."Right!"Then she ran out of the house.

Kero flew in. "The basement's ready, but I still think this is a bad idea!"

"You got a better one, cotton ball?"

Kero growled."This had better work!"

"It will."Meeko assured.Then she felt it. "She's coming."

Makoto nodded."And she's got our little pink ping pong boy with her."

"Let's jump into action!"She ran to door and opened it, just in time to have Akiko jump in and have the Jump Card zoom past her, into the house.

Makoto grinned."Come on, Jump Card!Come and get me!"He taunted and made a dash to the basement.

The Jump Card growled and followed Makoto, bouncing sideways against the hallways and walls of the house.Meeko followed, with Kero and Akiko close behind.

Makoto ran down into the basement, leaving the door wide open, and ran into his parents' secret room.This was the room where, he had just found out recently, his parents practiced their magic.It was also the place where they were going to capture the Jump Card.

The Jump Card entered the small room and started ricocheting off the sides of the room.After Meeko, Akiko and Kero made it inside the room, Kero activated the sealing wall that had hid the room from anyone in the basement.Now the Jump Card was trapped.

The Jump Card wasn't happy at all and started aiming his attacks at the two cardcaptors, sensing their magic.

Makoto dodged another attempt by the Jump Card to know him out and shouted."We have to slow it down!Get it to where we want it to!"

Meeko watched Jump bounce around the room, in a mad frenzy, and remembered something.Just a few hours ago, Makoto had been bouncing around his soccer ball against the wall.Meeko had stopped it with one of her shields.That gave her an idea."Makoto!"

Makoto jumped up, dodging another blast and landed on his feet."Nani!"

"Let's play a little game of soccer!"She formed a square shield with one end open at the end of the room.

Makoto saw it."Right!"He saw the Jump Card make a move at him and instead of dodging him, jumped up and kicked him towards his sister."Sis!"He cried.

Meeko nodded and saw Jump go high.She took out her only card."Fly Card!Lend your powers to me!Fly Card!"She hit it and instead of wings coming out of the wand, they grew out of her back.

Kero's mouthed dropped, as did Akiko's."That's not supposed to happen, is it?"She asked.

Kero watched in wonder.Sure enough, the Clow Card that Meeko had caught was being used like a Sakura Card."No it's not!"He replied.

Meeko smiled at the white wings, and flew into the air, to intersect the Jump Card.It came at her, so she swung her wand at the approaching target, and hit it back towards her brother.

He was ready.He jumped up again, but this time angled his kick at the make shift goal his sister had made.Jump Card went flying into the goal, and Meeko closed the shield.

She flew down and landed in front of it."Return to the shape you were meant to be!Clow Card!"Jump Card disintegrated and formed into the card it was originally.It stopped glowing and floated over to Makoto.

Meeko, Makoto, Akiko, and even Kero, shared a high five.Now they had two less cards to worry about.

"Kids!We're home!"Sakura shouted.Then she screamed.The kids down in the basement all shared horror stricken faces.

"Kero!You were supposed to be watching them!"Syaoran scolded.

"But there was a Clow Card!"Kero retorted.

Syaoran rolled his eyes."Now you sound like the children."

Meeko and Makoto sat on the couch, still in their cat outfits, though Akiko had gone home."Dad we did what we had to!"

"Yes dear.Don't be too hard on them."Sakura said softly.

Syaoran looked at his wife."But they were grounded and look at the house!"

"It can be cleaned."Sakura pointed out.She turned to the children."Why don't you go up to your room?I'll call you down when dinner's ready."

"Okay!"Both children said and ran up to their room.

Syaoran shook his head and rubbed his eyes."Why'd you go against me on that?"

Sakura came up from behind and started to give Syaoran a nice back massage."I think you were be a little too hard on them."She replied."If it was a Clow Card when we were there age, we wouldn't hesitate either."

"Besides, they did a pretty good job."Kero said.

Syaoran sighed."Well, are we going to keep them grounded?"He asked.

Sakura put her arms around Syaoran's neck and whispered in his ear."I don't think we should."

Syaoran smiled and turned his head."And why's that?"

Sakura shrugged."I little bird told me that they were going to have some special company tomorrow.I thought I'd be nice for them to actually go outside and have some fun with them."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow, and brought Sakura around to sit in his lap."And who would that be?"

She giggled and laid her head on his shoulder."Shinji."

At hearing this, Syaoran gasped…


	6. Old Friend Returns

The Second Generation 6

Konnichiwa!!!Kero-chan here!I'm going to tell you about our last little adventure.Well, with Meeko and Makoto grounded, and Sakura and the Chinese Brat… (Syaoran:What did you say you little stuffed animal!)All right!Sakura and _Syaoran _on a date, which left me to baby-sit the kids.They were good for a time, until the annoying little Jump Card made an entrance.It trashed the living room, and stopped Meeko from making my sandwich!Anyway, the Brat Boy… (Sakura: Kero!)Okay!Boy I can't get away with anything._Makoto_ made up a plan to capture the Jump Card, which I thought was brilliant from the beginning. (Makoto: You were against it the whole time!)Will you guys stop interrupting me!!!The plan worked and Makoto was awarded the Jump Card.Sakura let the kids off groundation because she knew of a special someone who would be visiting.And that's all I'm gonna say.Ja ne!!

Meeko sat in her bed, ready for bed, but couldn't sleep.She laid down and stared up at the bottom of her brother's bed."Makoto."

"Nani?"Her brother answered.

"Why do you think mom and dad let us off like that?"She asked.

Makoto's head popped over the side of the bed."They probably finally accept that we're good at what we do."

Meeko frowned."No, I don't think that's it.I think they know something.Something's gonna happen tomorrow."

Makoto cocked his head to the side."You think?"

Meeko smirked at her brother."More like, I sense?"

Makoto laughed and laid back down on his bed."Well, I for one want to be up and alert if anything happens.Oyasumi Nasai."

Meeko pulled up her covers to her chin."Oyasumi Nasai."Then both closed their eyes.

The next morning, Meeko and Makoto got dressed and ready for school.They went downstairs and sat at the table.Sakura brought breakfast and Syaoran came in with some drinks.

The family started eating, Kero in the middle of the table, chowing down.Meeko took a bite of food and looked at her mother."What's happening today?"

Sakura looked up from her meal."What makes you think anything's gonna happen?"She responded, not letting any information slip out.

Meeko rolled her eyes."Oh, you can't hide it from me.I can sense things too you know."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow."And just what do you sense, cardcaptor?"

Meeko shrugged."Something, new…unexpected."

"Expect the…" Kero started.

"…The unexpected."Sakura and Syaoran recited the rest.

Makoto and Meeko giggled, along with Sakura and Syaoran, but Kero just pouted."Well, it's very good advice!"He defended.

Sakura patted his head."Yes, we know.That's why we memorized your little proverb."

Syaoran laughed."Proverb?Don't you mean bible?He lives by that phrase."

Kero popped a few veins. "If you cared to remember, that "phrase" has saved you butt quite a few times!!"

"Are you kidding?I could've still done everything I did without it!"

Meeko and Sakura sweat dropped, while Makoto nodded in approval at his father's behavior towards the plush toy.

Meeko got up and brought up Makoto with her."Maybe we should leave for school."

"What about all those times…!"

"What do you mean all those time you never…!

Syaoran and Kero continued to argue, while Sakura walked Meeko and Makoto to the door.She kissed them on the top of their heads."See you after school."

"Ja ne!"They both replied and left for school.

Sakura looked back and saw both boys still fighting.She shook her head."Some days I wish I could run away to school to avoid these arguments."Then she went over to break the two up.

Meeko tapped her pencil on her desk, waiting for the morning pop quiz to finish.The seconds seemed to tick by ever so slowly.Finally time was up.The substitute teacher walked to the front of the classroom (Because the other is still "Indisposed")."All right, everyone.Put your pencils down and pass your papers to the front."

Meeko passed hers up, and tried to sit still as her sense of anxiety grew.Finally all papers were handed in and the teacher went behind to podium."Now class, we have a new exchange student." (You guys all saw this coming)She turned to the door."Onegai, please come in."

Meeko turned her head to the door, and gasped as the student walked in.He walked to the front of the class and bowed his greeting."Konnichiwa.My name is Shinji and it's a pleasure to meet you."

Meeko's mouth fell, as did Makoto's.Shinji was a friend like no other.He was the son of Yukito and Nakuru Akizuki's marriage.Nakuru Akizuki was one of Eriol's guardians.She has the power to change into Ruby Moon, with the power of Clow Reed's magic in Eriol's staff.She once worked besides Yukito and Touya at the water park, and had a crush on Touya then.Later, after Yukito and Touya had gone their own ways, Yukito, as well as Yue, had fallen in love with Akizuki.Touya later had gotten married to Kaho. (I forgot her last name) though haven't had any children.Suppi also lived with them.

Yukito had introduced their son, Shinji, when the children were five.Meeko never said anything, but always thought Shinji was cute.He had his father's hair color and gorgeous hazel eyes.Meeko smiled as Shinji winked at her.He and the Li twins were best friends.Yukito had moved away, and so Meeko never got to see a lot of Shinji.She always missed him, and was elated that he was back!

The teacher looked around the room."Let's see, we'll sit you…" Meeko prayed and prayed."Behind Li-san."She pointed to Meeko and Meeko nearly jumped out of her seat.Shinji walked down the row and stopped between the Li twins.He shook hands with Makoto, and turned to Meeko."Good to see you again, Meeko."

She blushed and stammered."G…good to s…see you t...too."

He smiled and took his seat behind her.Makoto looked over at his sister, and saw she was on cloud nine.And by the look in her eyes, she wasn't coming back too soon.

After school, Akiko, along with Meeko, Makoto, and Shinji, walked home.Meeko and Makoto agreed that it'd be okay to mention the Clow Cards to Shinji.They explained how they found the book, how the strange woman had tried to take the book away, ending in the cards being scattered, and about their parents.They told Shinji that they had already captured two cards, Fly and Jump.They were confident that they could capture the cards again, just like their parents.

Shinji on the other hand, wasn't so sure, but he remained silent.He wouldn't say anything about how much he knew about the Clow Cards.He knew about his own parents' alternate identities, and had also learned a lot from Yue about the Clow Cards, in case such a disaster ever came about.It looked like that disaster was here.

Shinji looked over at Meeko and smiled inwardly.He always thought she was cute, though never said anything.The way her long hair fell over her shoulders, and the way her amber eyes sparkled whenever she way happy.She was always so energetic and sleepy.Now, looking at her chat with Akiko and her brother, Shinji silently wore to never have anything happen to her.He would protect her, just like Yue protected Sakura all those years ago.But Shinji had a secret, one he knew would be out in the open soon, but what he didn't know was how soon.

What worried Shinji the most was that mysterious woman.Why would she want to Clow Cards?Something wasn't right.He would have to think about that later.Right now his senses were picking up a Clow Card in the vicinity.

He stopped walking, along with Meeko and Makoto.Akiko looked at them strangely."What's wrong?"

Meeko looked around and started walking forward."There's a Clow Card around here."She said.

Suddenly, the wind picked up and threatened to blow the children off their feet.Shinji tried to block Meeko from the wind, while Makoto held onto Akiko, who threatened to fly into the air.

"What is it?!"Meeko yelled over the howling winds.

"I don't know!What could make all this wind?!"Akiko shouted.

Meeko and Makoto gasped."Windy!"They shouted, remembering their mother's tale about the Windy.

"We have to find out where it's coming from!"Makoto suggested.

Meeko held onto the back of Shinji's shirt with one hand and looked around to see if anyone was around, there wasn't, so she pulled out her only card and key, turning it into a wand first."Fly!"Wings once again grew out of her back and she flew up against the wind.

"Meeko!"Shinji shouted.He didn't like it.You couldn't use Fly against Windy.It was supposed to be the other way around!He wanted to save her, but then, he'd have to reveal his secret.

Makoto took out his card and hit it with his sword."Jump!"Little wings appeared on Makoto's feet and he jumped up, trying to find the source of the wind.Shinji was left behind with Akiko, who had her video camera out, recording the whole thing.

Meeko flew against the wind, trying to see if she could find which direction the wind was coming from.Right now, it seemed to be coming from all sides!Suddenly, a larger gust of wind blew, and knocked her off balance.She flew backwards and hit a tree.Her head hit hard against the tree trunk, and she started to fall.

"Meeko!"Makoto shouted, but was too far away to get to her in time.

"No!!!"Shinji quickly made a shield around Akiko, to keep her from flying away, then jumped into the air.Instead of coming down though, white wings grew out of his back and he flew up to catch Meeko.She fell into his arms, her eyes closed, blood coming out of the back of her head.

He stayed there, in mid air, holding Meeko in his arms, close to his chest, and yelled out into the open."Windy!If you're here!Show yourself!Look what you've done!Look at the pain you caused!You're a gentle card!Why are you doing this?"

The wind died down, and Makoto came down to the ground.Shinji narrowed his eyes, and watched carefully as Windy's visible form showed it self.It looked sadly at Meeko and Shinji.A tear fell from its cheek._I'm sorry._It told them silently, then changed into a card, no sealing required.To everyone's amazement, it flew to Shinji.He caught it, and flew slowly to the ground.

Makoto looked at him with wonder and amazement, asking the silent question…_Why didn't you tell us?_

__Shinji looked sadly down at Meeko, but refused to let her go.He replied with out looking up. "You know now."Then he turned and left to the house, his wings still out in the open, his heart a little more broken.

Back at the house, Sakura tended to Meeko's head injury, Syaoran and Makoto helping in what ways they could.Yukito had come by earlier, to talk to Sakura and Syaoran about the old times, but now he, as Yue, and Shinji sat on the rooftop, discussing the day's events.

"So…they know?"Yue asked.

Shinji nodded, but didn't say anything.He did what he had to to save Meeko.Yue looked at his son."What is done is done, you needn't feel bad about it.What matters now, is you take your responsibility."

Shinji looked up at his father."Nani?"

"You must protect them in what ways you can.Help them capture the cards.You have the knowledge, you can help them, where we adults can't."Yue explained, for he too was restricted from helping the cardcaptors, even though he knew it would kill his mistress if anything happened to them, so he bestowed that right to his son.

Shinji frowned."Why did I get the card?"

Yue smiled."You were the one who called it out, made it realize what it did wrong."

"Why was Windy acting so violent in the first place?"That also confused him.

Yue frowned."Something, or someone, must've been influencing it somehow, it didn't have full control over its actions, until you called it out."He deduced.

Shinji shook his head."What a way to start a new school…" 


	7. Apologies Gone Wrong

The Second Generation 7

Sh…Shinji…h…here.I'm…uh…kinda nervous, so…bear with…me.I was introduced last time, when M…Me…Meeko and her brother went to school.My dad, Yukito, felt the cards get scattered and so came back to his hometown and see if Sakura and Syaoran knew anything about it.At school, I came in as an exchange student, and what luck! They sat me behind Me…Me…Meeko!Something about her makes me nervous.Anyway, M…Me…she and I along with Akiko and Makoto were walking home when the Windy Card attacked.It's supposed to be a gentle card, which makes me wonder why it attacked so violently.Dad thinks it's because someone influenced it.Well, who ever influenced it better look out, because it almost got M…Meek…My friend killed!!!I saved her, but in the process let out my deepest secret.I had inherited my father's wings and so used them to fly up and save…her.When I say "her" you know who I mean.I want to tell her, but I'm nervous.The next day…gets even worst.So read on…

Shinji took his seat behind Meeko and tried his best not to blush.Meeko smiled at him, then turned and started taking notes on the lesson.Shinji knew she was still upset over yesterday.Her brother had filled her in on the details of her rescue and it didn't suit well with her.Shinji would have to fix that.He hated to see her sad, even though she was trying her best to hide it.He wrote down the notes, but on the side, on another piece of paper, he wrote a note to Meeko and passed it to her.

Makoto frowned as he saw the note passed.He frowned._What's it about?_He asked his sister.

She frowned at the note._He wants to meet me this afternoon, after school, to talk._

__Makoto nodded._Maybe he wants to apologize._Makoto sure hoped so.Because as much as Shinji was their friend, if he hurt Meeko in any way, he'd find himself at the sharp end of Makoto's sword.Makoto was very protective of his sister.He wouldn't let anyone hurt her.But he would give them the time they needed.

After school, the four friends walked, Meeko, Makoto, Shinji and Akiko, home all in silence.Makoto suddenly grabbed Akiko's hand and stopped her.He looked forward at his sister, who was walking next to Shinji, her head down."We're…uh…we're going to stop by the toy store to pick up some things…you guys go on without us."

Meeko turned, as well as Shinji and frowned.Akiko looked at Makoto. "We are?"Makoto squeezed her hand."Oh!We are.See ya!"Then they turned down a different path and started off.

Meeko played with her foot in the dirt, not knowing what to say.Shinji pointed to the park."Can we go talk?"

She nodded, but did not raise her head.They went over to the park and stood in a small clearing.They were silent for the first few minutes.

Little did they know, but someone was watching them from afar.It was the woman from the night before!!She was back, and she didn't like the children being so close to the card she was trying to capture.She felt the card nearby and came to get it.

Now it was close to them, she would just have to make sure they put up a good fight, for she knew the key to making them hostile.Where the card was gentle, she could make it ruthless.She did it with Windy, and she would do it with this card.

Meeko stood on the soft green grass, unsure of what to do.Shinji twiddled his fingers.When he had asked Meeko to come here, he thought the surroundings would calm his nerves.The air was calm and a soft breeze blew through Meeko's long hair.She looked beautiful standing there with the light dancing across her amber locks.Shinji shook his head.He would have to tell her.He couldn't keep it a secret anymore.

"Me…Meeko…" He started.

She turned to him and gazed at him wither dark amber eyes.This cut Shinji off from what he was going to say._Why did she have to inherit her father's deadly eyes?_Shinji thought.

"Why didn't you tell me?"She asked.Shinji looked at her, and saw the pain she held within her soul…through her eyes he could see sadness and mistrust.

He looked down, unable to meet her gaze any longer."I was told I couldn't.I wasn't to let anyone know about _them…_" Meaning the wings."Father said I couldn't let anyone know until the right time comes…" He told her.

She frowned, not understanding what he was saying."And the right time would be when I'm hurtling through the sky, threatening to hit the ground at any moment?"She asked coldly.

Shinji finally looked up and met her stare."No, it wasn't that.Too see you hurt…I just couldn't bear it.I had to save you.Even if father didn't approve."He replied honestly.

Meeko's eyes went round in surprise.Here was her best friend, saying he would give up his greatest secret, just to see that she was safe.She smiled."You could've said something.You can trust us."

Shinji opened his mouth in shock."No, I know that, I trust you guys with my life, I…"

Meeko giggled."I'm not sure if I would even trust my life to Makoto."She teased.

He smiled and laughed with her."You know what I mean."

She nodded, but then stopped.Shinji looked around.They both sensed it…a Clow Card was nearby.

Meeko took out her key and acted fast."Key of Clow, bestowed by right.Surrender the wand, surrender the light.Release!"Her key became a staff, and she gasped it, getting ready for the coming confrontation.

Shinji took out his weapon too.It was a small staff, which he turned into a large staff, about a foot taller than he was, chanting an ancient language.Meeko was again surprised, but pushed the thoughts away and stretched out her senses."It's around here somewhere."

Shinji and Meeko went back to back.They would have to hold out until Makoto got to them, for he too surely felt the disturbance.

The attack came swift and painful.Shinji was knocked from the side, and thrown into the trunk of a tree.He fell to the floor a bit dazed.

"Shinji-kun!"Meeko ran to him and, but hit a barrier.Suddenly, a purple-hued shield, formed around Meeko.She was trapped on all sides, so she tried to hit the shield with her staff…no good.

"Meeko!"Shinji cried and used his staff to get to his feet, his head spinning in pain. He stumbled over to Meeko, heavily leaning on his staff."Meeko."He whispered as he placed a hand on hers, yet never touching it.

"It's the Shield Card.Another gentle card…supposedly."He said.Why were the cards acting like this?He didn't get it.He hit the shield many times, but still couldn't get in.

Meeko looked sadly at Shinji, then her eyes went wide.She motioned to her throat, and started screaming, but Shinji couldn't hear any of it.Then he saw what she was explained.Her throat…she couldn't breathe.She was running out of air.

Horror immediately occupied Shinji's expression, and he made more attempts to get Meeko out.No good.He tried to calm himself and focus on the problem.He had to get through the shield…but nothing was strong enough.

"Shinji!Meeko!!"Makoto's voice was heard, and Shinji turned to see Makoto and Akiko running towards them.

Makoto looked at the situation and looked to Shinji for an explanation."The Shield Card!"Shinji said, and Makoto got the message.

He took out his key."Upon this key, I place a spell.Show me your powers, within the sword do dwell."The key became a sword and Makoto held it in both hands.Meeko moved to the farthest side of the shield, though it was only about three feet wide.Makoto struck the shield, with little luck.

"We need help!"Shinji said.They needed the adults, but they were too far away to help.

"I got it!"Akiko exclaimed and took out a cell phone. She dialed the number and handed the phone to Makoto.He held it and looked desperately at his sister.Finally after three rings someone answered."Hello?"

"Dad!It's me Makoto!"

"Makoto?What's wrong?"

"A Clow Card's got Meeko!"

"Where are you?"

"At the park!"

"We're on our way!"Then Syaoran hung up and Makoto shoved the phone back at Akiko."They're coming."He told everyone.

"We need something strong enough to break it.But what?"Shinji thought out loud.

Just then Syaoran and Yukito came running towards them."Meeko!"Syaoran exclaimed and took out his sword.He struck the shield, but had about as much luck as Shinji and Makoto.

"Where's mom?"Makoto asked.

"She went with Nakuru out to the city to do shopping.I called them, and they're on their way."

"It's the Shield Card."Yue said, not transformed.

Shinji nodded."But how do we break it!She's running out of air!"

"We need the Sword Card."Syaoran said.

"But where do we find it?"Makoto asked.

"We have to look in any stores that would carry broaches."Syaoran explained."It should be in one of them."

Shinji nodded.Yue stepped forward."Syaoran and I will check out the West part of town.You and Makoto take the East side."Both children nodded.

"What about me?I want to help to."Akiko said.

Syaoran smiled and kneeled down."I need you to watch Meeko.Guard her."He said.

Akiko nodded and stood next to Meeko, on the outside of the shield."No one will get her…I promise."

Syaoran nodded."Let's move."

Makoto and Shinji took off to the left, and Syaoran and Yukito took off to the right.Meeko looked out to her brother and Shinji leaving."Please save me, Shinji."She whispered, but no one could hear her.__


	8. Encased Angel

The Second Generation 8

Makoto here!Last time, I left Shinji with Meeko to talk about…"things".I'm not stupid, (Meeko: *cough* Are you sure?)Shut up!I'm not stupid!I know Meeko likes Shinji!(Meeko: That's none of your business!)Wanna bet?! Anyway, I leave Shinji alone with my sister, and she gets trapped in the Shield Card!(Meeko: It wasn't his fault!)Don't push me!I'll get him yet!Anyway, if Meeko will let me finish, Shinji and I along Syaoran and Yukito-san, are all on a search to find the Sword Card.Mom is out shopping for the coming Christmas season, so we couldn't use her Sakura Card.I hope we get to Meeko in time, or I'll have to rearrange Shinji's face!(Meeko: Makoto!)

Shinji ran through town, Makoto right behind him, trying to find any place that would have broaches.So far they hadn't had any luck.They went into another store, and ransacked the shelves, looking for any broach that looked like a sword.

When they were searching for it, Shinji sensed it.Apparently, so did Makoto, because he jumped for joy at pointed to a particular broach.The salesman was in back, so Makoto snatched it up."I got it!"

Shinji tied to warn him."Don't touch it!"But it was too late.The sword had already transformed and Makoto's eyes glazed over.He swiped at Shinji, now possessed by the Sword Card.

Shinji dodged it, and blocked the next blow with his sword._I have to get us out of here._He jumped over a display and ran out of the store."Come on, Sword Card!Come and get me!"He taunted.

Makoto jumped over the same display, and out of the store.The salesman came back and looked around."I thought I heard a customer."He shrugged and went back to cleaning the store.

Shinji ran to the first alley he saw, and turned into it.At least here, less people would see the two fight.But Shinji didn't want to fight Makoto.He had to get the sword out of Makoto's hand, but how?

Akiko watched helplessly as her best friend, slowly slumped to the floor, sweating, and breathing heavily.Akiko wanted to help, but didn't have any magical powers (Remember, Eriol and Tomoyo haven't told her about her powers yet).

Behind her, Akiko heard a laugh.She spun around and saw the same woman that had spread all the cards."What are you doing here?!"Akiko demanded.She moved in front of Meeko.She may not have powers, but God himself couldn't stop her from trying.

The woman stepped forward, and attacked Akiko with a powerful blast of magic.Akiko couldn't move away in time, and was thrown back into the shield.She moaned, and slowly got up.

Something in her snapped."No one is gonna hurt my friends!Not if I can help it!"She took a fighting stance, and made ready for battle.Just them, her body started to glow with an inner yellow light.She looked at herself in wonder.

The woman took a step back.She wasn't expecting much of a resistance.Now the tables have turned.

Akiko narrowed her eyes.She wasn't sure of what was going on inside her, but she didn't care.If she could protect her friend, then she would.She threw her hand back, and fired a lightning blast at the woman.

The woman dodged to the side and the blast hit a tree, causing bark to spray everywhere.Some cut into Akiko, but she simply jumped towards the woman, and kicked her in the stomach.The blow caught her off guard and she doubled over.

Akiko followed up with a knee to the woman's face.Something cracked and the woman fell to her knees.Akiko smirked."Now leave before you get hurt…" She then added as an afterthought."…More."

The woman took Akiko's mistake of overconfidence and tripped Akiko.

Akiko went down hard.The woman jumped up and tried to bring her foot down on Akiko.Akiko though, somehow sensed the move, and without looking, rolled to the side, getting into a crouch.

The woman smiled evilly."You may have discovered your powers, but I will not allow you to stop me from destroying those pesky cardcaptors!"

Akiko stood up and got back into a fighting stance."You're gonna have to get through me first!"The woman smiled and attacked Akiko again.

All Meeko could do, was watch helplessly, as her friend now battle for Meeko's life…and her own.

Shinji dodged to the side, as Makoto tried to bisect him hip to hip."Makoto fight it!Snap out of it!"Shinji pleaded with his friend, but was not heard.

Makoto stacked again, this time making contact with Shinji's arm, making a gash which bleed heavily.Shinji held his arm, trying to stop the blood."Okay that does it!"He said.

He held onto his staff in both hands, ignoring the pain he felt in his arm."This is for Meeko.Please forgive me."He attacked Makoto, using his staff to deliver blows to Makoto's stomach and back.

Finally, Makoto was thrown to the ground, where Shinji was able to knock the sword from his hand.It floated up, where Shinji hit it with his staff, also a sealing staff."Sword Card!To thy true form!Sword!!!"

Sword Card flew into the staff, and a card formed at the end.The sword was changed down, now trapped in card formed.

Makoto awoke and shook his head."Wha…what happened?"

Shinji knelt by his side."Don't worry.You were taken over by the Sword Card."He explained.

Makoto nodded and got up with some help from Shinji."So…you got it?"

Shinji nodded and proudly held up and card.Makoto smiled."Well, let's go!"He and Shinji ran back to the park.

Akiko was thrown into the tree…again.This time, making a wound in the back of her head.She slumped to the floor, and tried to open her eyes, but only saw the world around her spin, so she quickly closed them again.

Meeko was now fighting to stay conscious, leaning heavily on the side of the shield.

The woman smiled and aimed another attack at Akiko.

"THUNDER!!!"A large lightning blast hit the woman, sending her flying back.

Akiko opened her eyes, fighting her dizziness, and turned to see Nakuru and Sakura running up.Sakura had her staff out and Nakuru was transformed into Ruby Moon.

Sakura knelt besides Akiko, while Ruby Moon fended off the woman with her red crystal attack. (Similar to Yue's crystal attack, where crystals come out of their hands and attack the enemy, very sharp, but with red crystals)The woman jumped moved to side, dodging as many as she could, but some hit her and they sent her to the ground.

Akiko was helped to her feet, and looked at Meeko."We're running out of time!!"

Sakura nodded."I told Syaoran we'd be here.He'll come as soon as he can."Sakura stood in front of Akiko."Stand back."

Akiko would have nothing of the sort."No!"She said."I can help to!"She fired up and fired a lightning attack of her own, though weak, sent the weekend foe to her knees once again.

Sakura's mouth dropped and Ruby Moon shrugged."Looks like she knows now…" The woman sneered and growled before disappearing.

Akiko frowned, but was unable to ask anything about it, because them, Shinji and Makoto came to them."We got it!!"Makoto shouted.

Shinji's smile faded as he saw Meeko collapsed in the shield."Iie!Meeko!"He immediately brought out the card."Sword Card!"Sword wrapped around Shinji's staff and it turned into a sword.

Shinji put on a determined face, and raised the sword.He brought it hard down on shield, splitting it in two.It turned into the normal form of the Shield Card, and floated towards Shinji in aggression.Shinji wasn't going to give him the chance."Shield Card!To thy true form!Shield!!!"

Shield returned to card form and floated to Shinji.Shinji immediately knelt by Meeko's side, lifting up her head, and cradling it in his arms."Please wake up.Onegai, don't leave me…" He said softly.

Meeko stirred and slowly opened her eyes."Doko? Where am I?"

Shinji smiled."You're safe now."

Sakura smiled at how kawaii they looked."Shinji, please take her home."

He nodded and brought out his wings, then took to the air.

Makoto walked over to Akiko."I'll take you home."She nodded and they started off.

Ruby Moon turned back into Nakuru and walked over besides Sakura."This is only the beginning."

Sakura nodded, then turned as she sensed Syaoran and Yukito coming.They looked around."Guess you ladies took care of everything."

Sakura smirked."You got that right."

Then Nakuru walked over to her husband."Akiko knows…"

Yukito nodded."Secrets can not be kept for long…"

Meeko closed her eyes as the wind washed over her.She felt so bad, being mad at Shinji for keeping his secret.She should have understood him, instead of being upset.And here he was taking her home, first class, with her in his arms.She loved the feeling, his body's warmth, shielding her from the chilly outdoors.

He showed no expression as he flew over the city, above everyone's heads.Meeko looked down sadly.She wanted to say it…but…

"It's okay."Shinji said.

Meeko looked up shocked."Nani?"

"I know what you want to say…don't.You have a right to be mad.I was wrong."He explained, not looking down once.

Meeko sighed."No, I was wrong.I should've tried to see it from your point of view.Gomannasai.Onegai (please), forgive me?"She asked, finally getting the courage to look up.

He looked down and smiled."Only if you forgive me."

She smiled."Hai."

He smirked."Not only for that."

She frowned."Nani?"

"For this!"He let go of her and let her dropped a few yards, before flying down under her and catching her again.

"Shinji-kun!"She hit him in playfully in the arm.

He laughed."I asked you to forgive me ahead of time."Then he smiled."Want me to do it again?"He teased.

Her eyes went wide, before she grabbed his shirt tightly and closed her eyes."Iie, onegai!"

He blushed furiously as she held onto him to him so closely and tightly."Okay, okay…I won't."

She sighed in relief and looked down."It really is beautiful."

"Now as beautiful as you…" Shinji said, but then caught his mistake.

Meeko looked up in surprise."N…Nani?"

Shinji blushed."N…nothing.Here's your house."He flew down and gently put her down on the ground.

"Shinji?"

He turned to her."Hai?"

She quickly kissed him on the cheek, and ran into the house.Shinji stood there frozen, and touched his cheek._I think…koishiteru (Not a typo, it means…) I'm in love…_

_ _

Makoto walked Akiko home, who for some reason, was unusually quiet."What's the matter?"Makoto asked.

Akiko looked up shocked, then averted Makoto's amber gaze, and looked down at the ground again."I…have powers too."Was all she said.

Makoto gasped."When…when did you find out?"

Akiko sighed."I saw the woman, from my house that night the card were scattered…"

"She was there?!"Makoto asked in shock.

Akiko nodded."I tried to protect Meeko, and something happened.I discovered my powers…"

Makoto nodded, but didn't pry any longer.He knew Akiko would have a long chat with her parents when they got to her house… which was now.

Eriol and Tomoyo were at the doorsteps…waiting for her.She sighed and drudged up to them.Makoto wanted to help, but this was something Akiko was going to have to work out with her parents on her own.Just like he and Meeko did.How did being a normal kid like himself, get mixed up into all of this…

Makoto walked away from the house when Eriol and Tomoyo took Akiko inside.He had things of his own to talk over with Meeko, when he got home…they still had a lot of work ahead of them.

Work…school…he still had homework!!Makoto started running home.How did his parents keep their grades up, with the Clow Cards trying to fail them at every chance!!


	9. Entrapment

The Second Generation 9

It's me, Akiko.Last week had some interesting revelations.Shinji and Makoto had been successful in getting the Sword Card for Meeko, who was trapped inside Shield, but not without a fight.Makoto recklessly grabbed the broach, which was the hidden Sword Card, and had been taken over by it.Shinji finally fought him, sealed the card, and got it back to Meeko to destroy Shield.I on the other hand, used my newly discovered powers to fight the same mysterious women who had tried to take the cards before.Now I had a "talk" with my parents, I know who I am; the question is though...what am I going to do about it?

Akiko walked silently home, besides her Makoto, Shinji, and Meeko looked over at her in worry.Akiko knew of her friends concern for her, but she couldn't force a smile to satisfy them.Too many questions filled her mind.She still remembered the conversation she had sat down to with her mother and father…

_"Daddy?What happened?How could I so such a thing?"A shaky voiced Akiko asked a calm faced Eriol._

_"Akiko, you know Meeko and Makoto and about their powers too, right?"Akiko nodded."Well, their parents also have powers.That's how they inherited their power…from their parents."_

_Akiko frowned."So you and mommy have powers too?"_

_"Well…" Tomoyo chimed in."I don't…but your father…" She looked at him, trying to find the right words._

_"Sweetie, you know the cards Meeko and Makoto capture?"Eriol started."Well, the person who created those cards was a powerful magician named Clow Reed."_

_Akiko frowned, but stayed quiet._

_Eriol paused.Tomoyo placed a gentle hand on his and smiled."What your father is trying to say is that he has some of Clow Reed in him."Well, that was the nice way to say it.To say that Eriol was the reincarnated Clow Reed might be too much to take in._

__Well, what Tomoyo and Eriol didn't know was that it had already been too much for her.Akiko was happy recording her friends, having fun…and well, being normal!Having powers like this…she just couldn't handle it.

"It's not fair!"Akiko shouted, making her friends swivel at her out cry.

Meeko walked over to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder."I know it's hard…we had to go through it too."She said, trying to comfort her friend.

Makoto stepped up."Parents have a strange was of saying they want to protect you."

Shinji nodded."But you don't have to face this alone."He assured her.

Akiko nodded.

"Hey I got an idea."Meeko perked up."How 'bout when we get to your house, we practice our powers a little."Since they were already invited, Meeko thought it'd be a good idea to practice.

Akiko nodded and out on a weak smile, something she hadn't been able to do for the week since she'd found out."Okay."Then together the four went to the mansion.

Akiko and her friends walked through the door and were met a cheerful looking Tomoyo and Eriol."Welcome home, sweetie!"Tomoyo greeted.

Akiko smiled and started up the stairs to her room, without saying anything.She had obviously not forgiven her parents for their course of action.Meeko wanted to stop her, but felt a hand placed on her shoulder."Let her go.She just needs time."Shinji said.Meeko nodded and watched her friend disappear in her room.

Tomoyo forced a smile, despite the pain she felt for her daughter."How about some cookies and milk?"She offered.The kids nodded, and followed her and Eriol into the kitchen.

Akiko went into her room and closed the door.She didn't mean to be rude to her guests, but her parents' gleeful expressions killed any sense of joy she had acquired before.She threw her backpack into the corner, and threw herself on to the bed.She wanted it to all go away.She never asked for this to happen to her.Why now?It just took her happy little world and turned it upside down.

Akiko began to cry and didn't even notice a couple of Clow Cards making their way around her room.Outside her window, a shadow crouched on the tree outside.It had a worried expression on its face._I'm sorry… _It thought before jumping out of the tree and disappearing.

Akiko's cries were suddenly silenced when she sensed the Clow Cards presence.She looked up and saw a woman, eyes closed, dressed in a bizarre cloak, one that covered her mouth.She had a strange haircut, and a single blue jewel was set in the middle of her forehead.Akiko immediately got up and made ready to scream.

At that moment, the woman's eyes flared open, and Akiko found she couldn't scream.She couldn't speak, not even a whisper was heard.In fear, Akiko ran to the door to fetch her parents.When she got to the door though, it glowed with an eerie light and a huge lock appeared in it, making it impossible for her to escape.

Her eyes widened and she pounded on the door as terror ran through her veins.She hit and hit, while the two cards disappeared in her room somewhere.

Downstairs, everyone was eating the cookies, when Eriol stiffened.Tomoyo looked at him and immediately recognized his expression, but said nothing.Meeko and Makoto, along with Shinji also started feeling it._There's a Clow Card around here._Meeko thought to her brother.Makoto nodded.

Shinji got up and went to the end of the kitchen."Sounds like someone pounding."

Meeko jumped up and exclaimed."Akiko!"Makoto jumped up and ran towards Akiko's room.Meeko and Shinji called forth their weapons, as did Makoto, and they all went to aid their friend.

Tomoyo cupped her hands over her heart and made ready to follow, but Eriol held him back."We can't do anything."Tomoyo looked back towards the fleeing children, and cried into Eriol's embrace.She felt so helpless.She only hoped the children could save her daughter.

Back at Makoto's and Meeko's house, Sakura was lying on the bed, reading a book.With the children out of the house, it was finally quiet.She heard the door open and sat up to see a happy faced Syaoran enter their bedroom."I thought you were going to workout in the basement."She said.

Syaoran shrugged and sat next to her."Well…with the kids away…" He leaned in and kissed her.She smiled and kissed him back."I thought maybe since we have some time to ourselves…"

"Yes?What did you have in mind, my love?"She asked.

Syaoran smiled devilishly and began kissing Sakura, slowly laying her back, until he lay on top of her.She smiled, and gave in, kissing him back, and using her hands to caress his warrior muscles.He too kissed and caressed her body, making her moan in pleasure.

Soon, both adults were feeling such ecstasy, feeling such a fire, that neither wanted to stop.Sakura kissed Syaoran's now bear chest.She giggled as he moved his hands across her stomach, and lower down.More groans and bumps were heard as the bedpost hit the wall.

Good thing Kero was out at with Suppi, for then Sakura and Syaoran could make love freely, not caring what else was going on in the world.

Makoto and Shinji pounded on the door, trying to get in.Meeko stood on the side, unable to help any more.Both boys rammed the door, but the Lock Card would not budge.Inside, Akiko didn't know what to do.She didn't know enough about her powers to fight The Lock, or The Silent.She stopped pounding on the door.It was no use.Without the others, she was hopeless.Alone.Trapped in her room.

Matte.

She wasn't alone.

She had her own powers now.

She would get out of this.

With renewed hope, Akiko looked around her room.Though silenced, she wouldn't be conquered that easily.She would find the cards.

Outside her door, Makoto got frustrated and took out his sword.He struck the door, but it bounced back.He sliced at it again, but Lock had a barrier on the door.Only magic would break it and seal it.

Shinji growled in frustration, and turned to see Eriol coming up the stairs."It's about time!Come on!We got to get this door open!"He yelled.

Eriol stood there, not budging.Meeko and Makoto looked at him in shock."You're not going to help?"Meeko asked in amazement.

Shinji narrowed his gray eyes."You're not going to just stand there while your daughter is trapped, are you?"

Eriol closed his eyes, and tried to uphold his calmness."You know I can't.I want to, but I am bound to stay out of it."

Shinji took out his staff and ran past him."Then I'll do it myself!"Meeko and Makoto followed him, also wielding their weapons.

Inside, Akiko looked around and tried to locate the cards.Her room was quite big, so she had some trouble at first.She was getting a sense from every direction.Soon though, she narrowed her sense to one corner and narrowed her eyes._I know you're here Silent.Come out and face me._

Silent appeared and held her eyes open, maintaining her hold on Akiko's voice.Akiko threw her hand forward and instead of aiming for Silent, like everyone had expected, she aimed at the door, and lightning struck the door, making Lock loose it's hold.Lock shattered and flew away from the door, floating in midair.

Silent's eyes went wide, and Akiko smirked.Lock got mad, if that's possible, and flew at Akiko, attempting to hit Akiko in her head.She was going to move, but instead, a red-hued shield appeared in front of her, sending Lock to the floor.Akiko turned and saw Meeko, Makoto, and Shinji jump in through the window.

Makoto smirked."You couldn't have asked for a room on the first floor instead of the third?"He asked.

Akiko smirked, despite the seriousness of the situation.Silent, seeing her partner in crime, down, made a dash for the open window.Akiko saw it and smiled._Oh, no you don't._Akiko jumped-flipped into the air and landed in front of Silent.She kicked Silent in the stomach, sending her flying to the ground.

Silent lost her hold on Akiko, so Akiko shouted."Now!"

Meeko raised her wand, and Shinji raised his sealing staff."Silent!Return to the shape you were meant to be!"

"Lock!To thy true form!"

Both cards returned to their card forms and to everyone's surprise…went to Akiko!She smiled and held out her hand.The cards landed in her hand, and the glow died down.Just then, Tomoyo came bursting through the door."Akiko!"

Akiko turned to look at her mother, but stayed where she was.Tomoyo felt tears fall down her cheeks."I'm sorry."Was all she could say.

Akiko couldn't be mad at her mother any longer and ran into her mother's arms.Tomoyo squeezed her daughter and thanked god she was all right.

Shinji smiled and came up behind Meeko, unknowingly making her blush."What I wonder is why would they send someone after Akiko?Aren't they after us?"He asked.

Meeko frowned, but her thoughts were interrupted by a fierce blast of thunder.All three cardcaptors ran to the window.Dark clouds and rain filled the sky."Wow, that's some storm."Meeko commented.

"That's no normal storm."Shinji replied.

Then it hit Makoto."It was all a decoy!"

"We have some more cards to capture!"Meeko said enthusiastically.

Akiko heard this and perked up."Can you guys wear my clothes?"

They all sweat dropped, but in the end agreed.

Meeko turned to Makoto."Maybe we should call mom and dad."He nodded and Akiko handed him a cellular phone.

Sakura and Syaoran were all at it.Small bead of sweat covered their bodies, as each breathed deeply, feeling immense pleasure and passion.Syaoran moved against Sakura, her body shivering under the feelings both were experiencing, though not for the first time.They did have two children remember?

Sakura tried to still her breathing, though only managed to moan in happy bliss.She grabbed Syaoran's back and held him closer to her, wanting more of what he was offering.Just as Syaoran was about to make his move…the phone rang.

Both stopped, and cursed their rotten luck.Syaoran reluctantly got off Sakura, and rolled over to his side of the bed, as Sakura reached over to the phone."Hello?"She said as carefully as she could, though the feelings had not quite simmered down yet.

"Mom, we need you and dad to meet us at Penguin Park, stat."Her son replied.

"What's wrong?"She asked, now worried.

"What's wrong?Where have you been?Just take a look outside."

Syaoran heard and after putting back on his boxers, walked to the window.Opening it, revealed what some would say as the storm of the century.

"It's the work of a Clow Card."Sakura said.

"Yeah we know that.Meet us at the park, ten minutes."Makoto hung up.

Sakura sighed and hung up."Well, it was good while it lasted."

Syaoran only smiled."Defiantly."

Will they get to the park in time to find out what's causing this?Who was that shadow? (Hint: It wasn't the same women from before.)I apologize to everyone who hated the heated part between Sakura and Syaoran, but, hey they're married!They can do what they want!


	10. Teamwork

The Second Generation 10

Makoto again!Last time we left you on a cliffhanger, ne?Gomen.WE really didn't expect anything like this to happen.First, Akiko had her "talk" with Eriol and Tomoyo; she went up to her room, while the rest of us ate cookies.Soon, the snack was interrupted by the Silent and the Lock crashing the party.Us kids were shocked by Eriol's refusal to help.He would watch his only daughter, get trapped inside her own room.Soon, Meeko, Shinji, and I came through the window, only to have Akiko conquer the cards on her own!We discovered it was only a decoy by our enemy and now set out to conquer the new danger.I called up mom and dad, hoping to get some help.Mom agreed, but was breathing heavily.I wonder what they were doing?

Akiko giggled as she recorded Meeko and Makoto in her newest fashion.It consisted of a blue/black top, with matching pants.Meeko's was a shirt and flared out more than Makoto's.Shinji was dressed in his battle outfit.Similar to Yue's outfit, but made smaller to fit Shinji.It was basically a white robe and pants, baggy to allow Shinji to call forth his weeks, which he now had out.

Akiko's admiration was abruptly cut off, by the sound of lightning and thunder.She squealed and jumped."What card is it?"

Shinji took out his staff."It's the Storm Card!"He said.

Next, without warning, lightning came down on the four cardcaptors.Meeko called out Fly while Makoto called out Jump, they move out of the way.Shinji grabbed Akiko and flew out of harm's way.

Meeko floated into the air, and soon Shinji joined her."This doesn't seem right."She commented.

Shinji frowned."What do you mean?It's a Clow Card right?"She nodded."So what feels so weird?"

Just then, a blast of wind came from the dark cloud overhead.The wind blew the oceans nearby, and soon, giant waves were crashing the shoreline, breaking fences, and nearby homes.Meeko narrowed her eyes.Something didn't seem right, but what was it?

Makoto watched the ultimate storm play its way across the sky, when he felt another presence.He scanned the surrounding area, and saw the shadow of a small person, probably a kid, standing on one of large boulders along the beach.

He unsheathed his sword."Who are you?!" His challenge alerted Shinji and Meeko to the danger, making them turn that way.Now they had to split their attention between the storm and this new enemy.

The person said nothing, simply raised a hand, and the pull on the surf increased, making a giant tidal wave.It formed out in the sea, but then quickly made it's way towards shore.Meeko's eyes widened, as everyone else's mouths dropped to the floor."She's going to flood the shore!All those houses!"

Shinji took out a card and struck it with his sword."Windy!"Windy dispelled and blew against the wave, causing it to momentarily stop its run at the shoreline.But then the wave overpowered Windy and pushed past her, turning her back into a card, falling at Shinji's feet.

Meeko watched in horror as the wave approached the houses.Suddenly… "Windy!Fiery!"A voice called out and a wave of heated air blew past everyone, attacking the wave head on, not only stopping it but also moving it back.

Makoto and Shinji, along with Meeko, turned to see Sakura and Yue in the air, with Syaoran running along the ground below them."Mom!Dad!"Meeko shouted.

"Dad!"Shinji called out, flying to his father's side."What are you doing here."

Yue did not smile, or show any expression whatsoever, but simply replied. "We're here to do some advising."

Shinji nodded and pointed to where the shadow person was, but was now gone.

"She's gone!"Makoto said in astonishment.

"Now completely!I got it all on tape!"Akiko said triumphantly.

Meeko flew to her mother's side, as Fiery and Windy returned to their mistress."Have you ever combined two cards like that?"

Sakura smirked."Well, I captured Fiery using Windy and Watery, but never Fiery and Windy."Meeko nodded.

Thunder struck again, and Syaoran narrowed his eyes."This is not natural."

Makoto rolled his eyes."Well, duh."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow at his son."Which one is it?"

Makoto straightened his back."Storm."He said confidently.

Syaoran shook his head."Wrong."

Makoto seemed shock, but then pointed to Shinji."That's what he said."

"Hey!"Shinji protested.

"What do you feel?"Sakura asked Meeko.

Meeko closed her eyes and focused on the storm."It's separated…uncontrolled."

Shinji frowned and closed his eyes.It was true.The storm, at one time had one objective, now had more."It's more than one card."

Makoto's mouth flew open, causing Syaoran to laugh."Expect the unexpected."He recited.

Makoto growled and tried to concentrate on the storm, as did his companions.Yue looked to his son."Which ones is it?"

"Thunder."Shinji replied.

Meeko frowned."Wave."

"Rain."Makoto replied.

Akiko frowned at her friends' difference in answers.

Sakura nodded."Actually, it's all three."

Syaoran nodded and thought for a moment._That shadow person had to have done something to have them combine like this._

__Makoto called out jump."I'm going after Rain!"

Meeko nodded."I got Wave!"

Shinji held his staff in both hands."I got Thunder, then."Knowing full well it was the hardest of the three.

The three adults split up, each going with their child: Syaoran with Makoto, Sakura with Meeko, and Yue with Shinji.Akiko didn't like it, because then she'd only get some of each one on tape.

Meeko flew in the air with Sakura by her side, towards the ocean.Meeko saw another wave forming and flew faster."How am I supposed to catch it?!"She called out to her mother.

"Trap it!Somehow get it away from its element!"Sakura replied.

Meeko looked around for something to use against Wave.But what do you use against water?Then she saw the rocks against the shore._That's it!_

__Meeko turned sharply, catching her mother off guard."Meeko!Where are you going?" Meeko didn't reply, but stopped and turned to Wave."Is that all you got?" She taunted.

The Wave stopped its path towards shore and began chasing the cardcaptor with wings.Meeko smirked and flew off, The Wave right on her trail._That's right you heartless Clow Card…follow the "helpless" girl from the ocean._"Is that as fast as you can go?"

Wave got made and sent up a waterspout under Meeko, sending her to the ground."Windy!"Sakura called.Windy came and slowed Meeko's decent.

Meeko smiled."Thanks mom!"

Wave recovered quickly and chased Meeko again, her drawing it away, back towards land, and the others…_I hope this works…_

_ _

__Makoto used jump and brought out rain from the sky.Rain chased him, a mean look on her face, aiming her heavy monsoon rain on the fleeing cardcaptor.Makoto jumped and dodged Rain's attacks. 

"You can't run!You have to fight!"Syaoran shouted, running after his son.

"How can I stop it?"Makoto shouted back.

"Use its own element against it!"The experienced cardcaptors replied.

An idea popped into Makoto's head._Hey sis!_

_What?_

_You comin' my way?_

_I am now!_

__Just then Meeko, with Wave behind her, came around the bend.Makoto smiled.Perfect._Come over this way!_

__He saw Meeko turn and aim towards him.Soon Wave overcame Rain, trapping it in a bubble, and Wave fell to the ground, Rain fighting the water shield that held it in.

Shinji flew aggressively towards Thunder, trying to change it into its visible form.Akiko on the ground wanted to help.

Yue flew after his son."You have to blast it with a strong attack!"

Shinji dodged another blast._What's strong enough to take out Thunder?_Then it hit him.Shinji took out his card."Sword!"

His staff turned into a sword, and Shinji faced Thunder with renewed confidence.Thunder struck again, this time, Shinji was ready.With inhuman reflexes he sliced his sword, right when Thunder's blast passed him.

Thunder went hurtling to the ground, smacking Wave and Rain both to the ground.Shinji quickly dove to the ground, his staff turned back to normal.He saw Meeko was already ready.

He nodded, and Meeko nodded back.Instead of holding his staff at the end, Shinji held it in the middle and threw it down at the same time Meeko did hers.

"Wave!Return to the shape you were meant to be!"Meeko cried.

"To thy true form!Rain and Thunder!"Rain and Thunder were pulled into opposite sides of Shinji's staff.He had sealed them both at the same time, but not without a price.He started to collapse, but felt someone catch him.

Meeko cradled Shinji in her arms, her new card in her hand.Rain floated to Makoto, and Thunder lay on Shinji's chest.Shinji opened his eyes and smiled, though blushing furiously at the closeness of his crush."A…Arigat…gatou, M…Meek…ko."

Meeko giggled at his shyness."Anytime."

Just then, Akiko, and the adults came by."Great job you kids."Syaoran said, proud of the way his children had worked together as a team.

"You were wonderful!"Sakura praised.

"But how were they able to merge like that?"Yue asked.

Makoto didn't know the answer, but his father did."It had to have been that shadow.They were more organized when it was here.Why else would they have been so easy to catch when it left?"

Makoto felt his mouth open."Easy?You call that easy?"

Syaoran smiled."Compared to some…"

"Yes."Sakura replied, coming up and holding her husbands hand.

Yue came up and lifted Shinji up."We must be going."With that he flew off.

Meeko felt hurt with Shinji leaving like that, but knew it wasn't his fault.

Syaoran broke away from Sakura's hand."I'll take Akiko home."

Sakura nodded and lifted Makoto up into her arms."Let's go home."

Meeko smiled and flew into the air, Sakura with Makoto, by her side.Meeko was happy, accomplishing what they had.They were a team, and with that knowledge and skill, catching the rest of the cards would be easy.

Behind, where the battle had been waged, the shadow stood there, and watched sadly as the cardcaptors left.Red eyes reflected the moonlight, which now hung full and bright in the sky._You don't know what you're facing…no idea at all…_


	11. Acts of Appreciation

The Second Generation 11

Shinji here.Last time was one of the most dangerous…and exciting captures we made yet.When we got to the sight of the disturbance, there was the storm of the century going off above us.The shadow was there, the same one that I caught a glimpse of outside Akiko's window, while we went to save her before.I thought it was the Storm, but when our parents got there, we discovered it was actually three Clow Cards together!Somehow the shadow person had controlled the three Clow Cards, but when she left, they went into disarray.Meeko was able to capture Wave, Makoto got Rain, and I was lucky enough to be able to capture Lightning.Though all of this was not without a price.Sealing two cards at once like I did drained me…So now I'm at home, hopefully none of the cards will attack Meeko, where I won't be there to protect her…

Meeko sat in her room, staring out of the window.She was worried for Shinji, she didn't know what she could do, but she hated the idea of him, being sick in bed.Not really sick, but drained.He had sealed two cards yesterday!Meeko doesn't know enough about her powers to do something like that.She wanted to make him feel better, but she didn't know how…

Just then Meeko heard a soft knock, and Sakura gently opened the door."You okay sweetie?"Meeko nodded and went back to staring out of the window.Sakura came and sat down next to her."What's the matter?"Meeko sighed, but didn't respond.Sakura smiled."Is it about Shinji?"

Meeko gasped and looked up."How did you know?"

Sakura giggled."I felt the same way when your father was injured or sick." (S+S fans will want to read this)

"What did you do?"Meeko asked.

Sakura sat back and smiled at the memory."Well, it happened the day your father didn't show up for school one day…

_A sixteen-year-old Sakura stared out of the classroom window, not really paying attention to what the teacher was saying.Syaoran hadn't come to school that day, and Sakura was worried.He always was so diligent on coming to school everyday, and now…he wasn't there.Sakura wondered what was wrong with him?_

_Tomoyo, seated next to he, passed her a note.It read:_

_ _

_Sakura,_

_I heard one of the attendant people say Syaoran Li was out sick…something really serious._

_ _

_-Tomoyo_

_ _

_Sakura gasped at reading the note…Syaoran…out sick?He lived alone, with no one to care for him?She wanted to go over and tell wish him well…but would it be proper?She looked over at Tomoyo, and if reading her mind, Tomoyo nodded._

_Sakura nodded back.She would go.At least then, Syaoran would know he wasn't alone._

_ _

_Syaoran lay in his bed, unable to get out.He had a fever, had lost his voice, and had a monster headache.Not to mention he could barely breath, and his sinuses were acting up.He wanted to go to school, but didn't have the strength.Syaoran rolled over and pulled the covers over his head.He thought…~maybe if I get some sleep, I'll feel better when I wake up~_

_Just then someone knocked on the door.Syaoran groaned, which made him squeeze his eyes shut against the pain in his throat.~Maybe if I don't answer they'll go away~_

_The person knocked again.Syaoran slowly got out of bed, wearing his pajamas and slowly went to the door.~Whoever it is, is going to wish they never came here~ He slowly opened the door, and saw… "Sa…" He was cut off by the pain in his throat again._

_Sakura looked at him worriedly."You didn't come to school, so I thought I'd check up on you.Are you okay?"_

_Syaoran looked down to hide his blush, and nodded.Though the movement made him dizzy and sent him falling.Sakura gasped and caught him, gently holding him in her arms."You should be in bed, baka."She slowly helped him back to his room, and tucked him in bed."I'm going to go make you some honey milk.Just rest up."She left the room, leaving a bewildered Syaoran behind._

_When she came back, Syaoran had his eyes closed and was trying to get back to reality.Sakura…the hidden object of his affection…was here…at his house; worrying about him…it was like something out of his dreams._

_Sakura looked fondly at him.Even though he was brave and warrior like all the time…here…with his defenses down, he looked like a little boy.She smiled and slowly sat on the edge of the bed.Syaoran opened his eyes, and could've sworn he went to heaven.Seeing Sakura's bug green eyes smiling at him._

_"Here."She held up the mug of warm honey milk.She helped Syaoran to a sitting position, and watched him carefully sip some of the ilk, before lying back down again.She felt his forehead.She gasped."You're burning up!I have to get you cooled down!"She got up and immediately went to fetch some cool water and a small towel._

_She sat on the bed once again, and slowly dipped the washcloth in the water.Gently moving his amber locks away from his eyes, she placed the cloth on his forehead.He shivered at the temperature, but then sighed at the comforting effects of water…or maybe it was because Sakura was there with him._

_Sakura smiled at his boyish qualities.True he too was sixteen, but his face still retained some boyish features.He still looked kawaii when he was thinking about what should be done to capture a Clow Card, or determined when he was protecting her.Maybe that was why she loved him.He was always there for her, and she felt safe in his company, his presence._

_Syaoran sniffled, but still couldn't breathe.Sakura frowned."Can't breathe?"_

_He opened his eyes, and slowly nodded.Sakura shook a finger."I've got just the thing.She dug in the bag that she had brought with her, and took out a small bottle."This should fix it up."She said confidently."Take off your shirt."_

_Syaoran's widened and he looked at her in shock.She rolled her eyes."The medicine goes on your chest, then you breathe in the fumes and it clears your sinuses." (Basically Vapor Rub…you know where I'm going with this.But I swear…totally PG…okay maybe PG-13, but that's it!)_

_Syaoran nodded and tried to undo his front buttons, but with his headache, he only managed to fumble with it.Sakura giggled."May I?"_

_Syaoran looked at her, unsure, but slowly nodded.Sakura moved her hands to just underneath Syaoran's chin, and started to unbutton the top of his pajamas.Syaoran knew he was blushing, but couldn't hide it.~Why did I say yes? ~_

_Sakura unbuttoned the last button and gasped as she saw his warrior chest.Syaoran looked at her strangely, but Sakura averted his gaze, and picked up the bottle, putting some in her hand.She put some on Syaoran's chest, making him tense up."It's okay."She coaxed."It's cold at first."She slowly started rubbing it into his tense muscles._

_Syaoran closed his eyes, breathing in the strangely comforting scent of the medicine.Sakura's touch sent shivers of pleasure down his spine, but soon Syaoran felt his chest warm up, as Sakura continued to work it into his chest. _

_Sakura closed her eyes, amazed at what she was doing.His chest felt so strong and powerful.Just think, he used these muscles to help her, to aid her.He was her protector.She smiled and looked up, only to find Syaoran fast asleep._

_Slowly, Sakura got up, and walked slowly out of the room.~Rest well, my little wolf~ Then she was gone._

__

__Meeko smiled as her mother finished the story."Is that what I should do?Can I help Shinji recover?"

Sakura looked down at her daughter and ran a hand down her hair."I think you should do what ever you think is right."

Meeko thought for a moment, then a smile crept onto her face.She hugged her mom."Arigatou."

Sakura laughed and hugged back.Meeko grabbed a few things out of her room, and left the house.

Shinji lay in bed, tired, but otherwise fine.He thought about the last battle.How Meeko had been so brave in bringing in the Wave.She looked so angelic when she used Fly.They seemed connected in some way...Meeko and him.Both angels, somewhat, battling evil trying to save humanity.Shinji laughed at his thoughts.He sounded so weird.But, that's what Meeko did to him.Made him feel things, he didn't understand.

His stuttering, his heart rate beating faster, his breath coming in pants when he thought of her.What was it that made him feel like this?Was it love?Shinji wasn't sure, but just then, he thought he felt her aura, her presence.He laughed… _Couldn't be her._

__But it was, just out of the door, came Meeko, wearing a beautiful skirt, with a tank top."How are you feeling?"She asked sweetly.

Shinji's mouth fell open._Better now that you are here._He cleared his throat."F…Fine.Wh…what are you doing here…Me…Meeko?"He stuttered.

She giggled at his nervousness.She walked over to him and sat on the bed.Shinji looked past her and saw his mother smile and gently close the door.Shinji looked back at Meeko and frowned as she handed him a cup of steaming liquid."What's this?"

She laughed."Just a little recipe my mom gave me.It's honey milk." 

Shinji nodded and took a sip.The warm liquid flowed down his throat, and he sighed in comfort."Arigatou."He said gently.

His tone of voice made Meeko blush, so she turned her head."Well, I want4ed to thank you for bringing in the cards.Sealing two isn't easy."She said.

Shinji smiled and gently moved her chin to look at him."As long as you didn't get hurt, I'd seal ten cards at once."

This made Meeko blush even more.She stood up. "Well, I'm glad to see your feeling better."She walked to the door."I have to go…ja ne."

Shinji frowned at her sudden departure.He would have to make it up to her…for her kindness.

Meeko ran home, scared about what she felt.She knew she liked Shinji, but this was different.She felt something different.She couldn't think when he was around.Everything in her world zeroed in on him.His eyes and hair…his gentle yet strong demeanor.Meeko thought she knew was this feeling was, but wasn't sure.That was why she had to leave, to think it over.She got into the house, and ran to her room.

Makoto was there, practicing with his sword.He saw Meeko rush in and bury her head in her pillow."What's wrong?"

Meeko didn't reply, only squeezed her pillow harder.Makoto frowned and sat next to her."Come on…you can tell your oniichan."

Meeko looked up and was about to say something, when she felt his aura.Shinji's aura.She gasped, making Makoto frown more.

Sakura came and opened the door."Meeko, there's someone here to see you."

Meeko nodded and slowly went downstairs.Makoto was about to follow, when Sakura stopped him."Your father wants to practice with you in the basement."

Makoto sighed and nodded, going downstairs and into the basement.

Meeko slowly opened the door, but was already sure of who it was."Hello, Shinji."She said quietly.

Shinji smiled."You took off so fast I didn't have time to thank you."He pulled out from behind him, a bouquet of red roses.

Meeko gasped and slowly took them from him."Shinji…they're beautiful."

Shinji smiled and blushed.

Sakura smiled as she watched Shinji handed Meeko the flowers.It remembered Sakura of what Syaoran had done for her, a few days after she had visited his house…

_Sakura walked to the door and was surprised to see Syaoran standing there."Syaoran?What are you doing here?"_

_Syaoran stared at the ground and shuffled his feet. "Well…I wanted to thank you for helping me the other day.I feel fine."_

_Sakura smiled."You can always count on me when you re sick.Know that."_

_Syaoran nodded and looked up with a smile."I know."He brought forth his hands and revealed a single Sakura blossom."For you."_

_Sakura gasped and smiled.She took the flower from Syaoran and blushed._

_Then, without warning, she threw her arms around Syaoran, giving him a quick peck on the cheek."Domo arigato!"_

_Syaoran blushed, but wrapped his arms around Sakura's small waist."Will you…go out with me?"_

_Sakura smiled and nodded."I'd loved to."_

_ _

__Sakura smiled at the memory, and felt a tear of joy fall from her green eyes.Meeko was in love, even if she didn't know so yet.Sakura felt strong arms come around her and looked behind her to see Syaoran hugging her warmly."What's so sad to make a beautiful woman like you cry?"

Sakura smiled and pointed to Meeko who had her arms around a red faced Shinji.Syaoran chuckled."They do look kawaii, ne?"

Sakura smiled and nodded.

"Why don't you come down with me and help with Makoto's training?Leave Meeko with her love."

Sakura nodded, taking Syaoran's hand, and went downstairs._Maybe someday, she'll tell Shinji how she really feels._


	12. Preparations

The Second Generation 12

I haven't done a chapter yet, so it's my turn.It's me Sakura.Last time, the day went by pretty relaxed.Meeko was unsure of what she should do for Shinji, since he was weak.It was love I knew that, demo I don't think she did.I told about a time when Syaoran was ill and how I went to his house to check up on him.She brought him some honey milk, and quickly left out of embarrassment.When she got home though, Shinji appeared at the door a little later, bearing a bouquet of roses.I thought I was cute and remembered how Syaoran had given me a single Sakura blossom as a thank you.After that, he started going out and became a couple.I just hope my daughter discovers her feelings and tells Shinji before something happens.

Akiko sat in her room, organizing her footage, and making her own first outfits, when Eriol came in.Things were still tense between them, so it was of no surprise to Eriol, that when he entered his daughter's bedroom, she looked up at him, paid him no attention, and went back to sewing.

Eriol sighed and walked into the room."Akiko…"

"Why didn't you help me?"She asked coldly, meeting his calm blue stare with an ice-cold stare of her own.

Eriol looked down at the ground."I can't interfere.You kids have to do this on your own."He tried to explain his situation.

"So if Meeko and Makoto and Shinji hadn't been there or unable to get me out, you wouldn't have lifted a finger to help me?"

Eriol closed his eyes, not wanted to answer, even though Akiko somehow already knew the answer.Akiko growled."And you say you love me."

Eriol frowned."Of course I do, but you have to over come this on your own."He sat next to her.He saw her start to sob, and wrapped an arm around her."Hey, hey it's okay."

Akiko shook her head, burying her head in his chest."It won't be okay.I can't do it without you…you or mommy.I need help."She sobbed again, grabbing a part of Eriol's shirt.

Eriol pulled away and took out something."I think this will be able to help you."He handed it to her.

Akiko frowned and looked at what he had given her.It was a key, with a small paddle on the end.On the paddle was the symbol of the sun.She gasped."What is this?"

"I made you a staff of your own.You call it forth and you can fight, as well as call out your cards."Eriol explained.It had taken a lot of energy, but had made a duplicate of the key he himself still wore around his neck.He smiled."It will help you, but only if you believe in its powers and your own."

Akiko smiled and hugged her father."I do, and I will, you can count on me."

Eriol chuckled."I know I can, but I have to be alive to see it, and your choking me."Akiko smiled sheepishly and let her father go.Eriol massaged his throat."You get that strength from your mother."Akiko blushed.

Eriol looked at the clock on her dresser."You better hurry, or you're going to be late."

Akiko saw the time and gasped."Gotta go!"She grabbed her backpack, already dressed in her uniform, and sped out of her room, and out of the mansion.

At school, Makoto and Meeko were already there.They took their seats, but were surprised to see their substitute teacher not there yet.She was always there before everyone.Meeko frowned._Something's not right here._

__Makoto nodded._I sense something._

__The door slide open and Shinji came through.He smiled at Meeko, making her blush.He took his seat and Meeko turned to face him.She whispered."Do you sense anything?"

Shinji looked solemnly at her and nodded.Meeko nodded in return."Keep your senses open."She whispered again, before turning back towards the front.

Akiko arrived."Ohayo minna!"She greeted.

Meeko smiled."Ohayo gozaimas!"Makoto and Shinji also said hi.Akiko took her seat behind Makoto.She always loved her spot.Even though they were cousins, though distant, she loved Makoto…always so strong and gentle at the same time. (Inherited from Syaoran)She would never tell him though for fear that he didn't feel the same way.So she stayed quiet and watched Meeko and Shinji grow closer, wishing she and Makoto were like that. (Okay everyone happy?I'm getting M+A together like dozens of you requested.)

Just then, all four Cardcaptor stiffened as they felt something.The door slide open, but it wasn't their substitute teacher that came through, but their real teacher.Makoto's mouth fell open._I thought I got rid of her!_

Meeko glared at him._Makoto hush!_

__The teacher came in went to the front of class."Class, I have fully recovered and have returned."She took one glance at Makoto and smiled.Makoto glared at her._Why do I feel something from her?_

_I feel it too.Weird._

__Shinji frowned at the situation.He didn't know the teacher they had wasn't the real one, but why did this one make him feel so uneasy?There was something about her that didn't seem right.

The teacher shuffled her papers and looked up at the class."We have a new exchange student."Hearing this the cardcaptors exchanged glances.This was not good."Come in please." 

Through the door, came a girl, dressed in the school uniform.She had bright blue hair, with amazing green eyes.She came in with a sad smile, her gaze stopping on the cardcaptors, making them fidget with uneasiness.She went to the front of the class as Madoushi sensei, the teacher, wrote her name up on the board.

"Class, this is Madoushi Hitori."She introduced the girl, but the girl flinched as she said her name, like it was something that pained her.

Makoto gasped though._If her last name is…_

_Then she is Madoushi's daughter._Meeko finished for him.

Hitori, in Japanese, means alone… (I think, don't quote me on that).Hitori looked at Meeko and Makoto sadly, like she'd done something wrong. Meeko frowned._How can one girl, give off such sad emotions so strongly?_

__Makoto glared at the teacher, as she sat Hitori to Makoto's other side.Hitori refused to look up, not meeting Makoto's stare.

"You will respect her like any other classmate."Madoushi sensei said, looking at Makoto the whole time.

Akiko watched as Makoto went back to looking at Hitori, feeling a bit jealous.She wanted him to look at her like that.She sighed and looked at Meeko, who met her stare with worry.Meeko knew of Akiko's feelings for her brother, just like Makoto knew about her feelings for Shinji, and so understood her worry.

She knew Makoto liked Akiko back, but never told her.She would have to fix that, with some help from Shinji of course.She smiled evilly as a plan came to her head.She started writing a note and passed it behind her to Shinji.Shinji read it and smiled a reply:

Good plan.I'm in.

Meeko smiled and started to get through the details of her plan.Operation A+M was about to start.This week there was a school fair outside, to raise money for the annual camping trip at the end of the year.People would sell all kinds of things, giving the money to the school.There were tons of different foods that would be up for sale, and Meeko knew for a fact, Akiko was a great cook, and would get her to bake a cake.Not just any cake, demo…double chocolate cake…Makoto's favorite.(Taking after his father more and more, ne?)

The rest of the plan was already set in Meeko's mind.She just hoped Shinji would do his part later…

At lunch, Meeko sat with Makoto, Akiko, and Shinji.They sat underneath the same tree everyday.Meeko got up and gave Shinji a wink."Uh, Akiko can you come with me?"

Akiko frowned."Where?"

"To the bathroom."Meeko lied.

"You can't go by yourself?"Akiko replied, not really wanted to leave Makoto's side.

Meeko rolled her eyes and dragged Akiko to her feet."Come on!"Akiko was dragged from the group, leaving Shinji to talk to Makoto.

"Are you going to enter the contest?"Shinji asked.

Makoto frowned."What contest?"

Shinji chuckled at Makoto's naivety.(Also a Syaoran trait.Like father, like son, ne?)"The kissing contest.The winner of mile race, gets to kiss the winner from the Baking Competition."

Makoto was still lost."Why would I want to?"

Shinji wasn't going to win this unless he went to extreme measures."I dare you."He said."I double dog dare you to enter that race."

Makoto's eyes widened."You're on!"He shook Shinji's hand.He just hoped Meeko had such good of luck.

In the bathroom, Meeko washed her hands, and turned to Akiko."So, what are you going to make for the baking competition?"She asked.

Akiko gasped."I wasn't planning on entering."

Meeko's mouth fell to the floor in mock shock."Nani?Doshte? (Why)You'd win in no time.You're the cook on campus."

Akiko blushes at the compliment."Do you really think I'd win?"

Meeko nodded and smile."Definitely." 

Akiko smiled."Okay!What should I make?"

Meeko pretended to think."How 'bout a chocolate cake?Or a double chocolate cake?"

Akiko nodded."It's already made."She winked and they left the bathroom giggling.

On the way home, Shinji took Makoto to Penguin's Park to go practice for the race, while Meeko and Akiko went to Akiko's house to make the cake.

Meeko and Akiko ran into the kitchen, taking out the ingredients that they would need.They worked all afternoon, making at cake, the icing, and decorations.When it was done, Akiko smiled and cut a piece.Both girls decided to make a practice one first, to make sure that the final one was perfect, without any glitches.

Akiko and Meeko took a bite…and wrinkled their noses."What happened?"Akiko asked.

Meeko shrugged and put the piece down on the counter."Something isn't right here."Just then she sensed it…A Clow Card.

Akiko sensed it too and got out the key her father had given her.Meeko gasped."Where'd you get that?"

Akiko held it up."Dad gave it to me.He said it'd help me."She held it out in her palm."Key of Clow, your powers sealed tight.Lend me the power, lend me your might.Release!"(Corny…I know…I apologize now)The key turned into the large staff with the symbol of the sun on the end of it.

Meeko took out her key."Key of Clow bestowed by right.Surrender the wand, surrender the light.Release!" Meeko's staff appeared before her, she clasped it and went back to back with Akiko."It's around here somewhere."

Akiko nodded, stretching out her senses, trying to find it."What card is it?"

"The Sweet."Meeko replied, scanning the room for the little card with small wings and a fluffy dress.She spotted it, right under the stove."There!"

Akiko spun around and tried to hit it with her staff.She was mad.This Clow Card was going to ruin her cake!One she worked very hard on!She threw the staff forward, red fireballs coming out of it.One hit poor little sweet and she fell the ground.

Meeko pulled up her staff."Return to the shape you were meant to be!Sweet!"Sweet turned back into a card, and it floated over to Akiko.

Meeko was shocked."You didn't have to be so aggressive.It was a gentle card."

Akiko looked at her, her blue gaze making Meeko shrink back."It didn't have to do what it did.Now I have to start all over."

Meeko nodded, and looked out of the window."It's late…I'd better go.Good luck."Then she left.

Akiko sighed, looking at the Sweet.She hadn't meant to be mean, but something inside her broke.What was she becoming?A monster?She'd have to apologize to Meeko, when they saw each other again.

At the park, Shinji and Makoto were running around Penguin Park, training Makoto so he could win the race.Soon though, a boy from their school appeared.His name was Liwen, a very stuck up boy at school."Is that the best you got?"

Makoto growled."You wanna go up against me?Let's go!You and me!"

Liwen smirked."You're gonna be sorry."

Shinji shook his head at the petty argument.Makoto and Liwen lined up and made ready to run.Shinji was about to turn his back on the race, when he sensed a Clow Card.He turned to Makoto, but saw he was only determined to show he was better.With his mind's eyes, Shinji saw Liwen's body start to glow green.

Shinji's eyes went wide… _The Dash Card!_He thought.The race started and Liwen quickly took the lead.Makoto wouldn't give up though; he went as fast as he could, trying to catch up to Liwen.Shinji watch them disappear around the bend, and took out his staff.He looked around trying to sense for the Dash Card.

It took him a while, but he found it hiding in the bushes, tied up, and trying to get free.Shinji stepped forward and slowly picked up Dash.It was shaking with fear.Shinji narrowed his eyes.Liwen did this.He probably found the animal and saw he could run faster with it in his possession.So he kept it unwillingly as a pet.

He saw Liwen coming around the corner, Makoto behind him.Liwen stopped as he past Shinji, seeing his prize in Shinji's arms."You give that back."He said, not even out of breath.

Shinji held Dash closer."What did you do to it?"

Liwen started to get mad."That's none of your business.Now hand it over."

Makoto came and saw what was happening.He gasped, and Shinji nodded, confirming his silent question."That's going to far Liwen!"

Liwen growled at Makoto and socked him in the stomach."I don't need to hear that from a little kid like you!"

Makoto coughed, but slowly got up and held his stomach."You can't treat any animals like that…they have feelings too."

Dash perked up at this, looking at the cardcaptor not as its enemy, but as its protector.Makoto didn't see it, but Shinji did.Dash was trying to help Makoto, giving him the speed he needed.

Liwen swung again, this time, with Dash's speed; Makoto dodged the blow, sending a quick jab to Liwen's side.Liwen grabbed his side, but tried to lash out at Makoto with his foot.Makoto saw it coming and caught it, twisting it, sending the unruly kid to the floor.

Liwen looked up in shock at how fast Makoto was, and got up only to run away, leaving Dash in Shinji's arms.Makoto turned to Dash and petted it.It purred and struggled out of the bonds.Makoto gently took Dash out of Shinji's arms and untied the ropes.Dash jumped out of Makoto's arms, and turned to it, waiting for something.

Makoto frowned, not understanding, but Shinji smiled."He's letting you seal him."

Makoto gasped and looked at Dash.The little creature lowered his head in submission as Shinji got out his staff."To thy true form!Dash Card!"

Dash turned into a card and floated over to Makoto.Makoto looked at it in wonder._I wonder if the girls had as much fun as we did…_

_ _

__In the darkness of the surrounding foliage, a pair of green eyes watched the whole situation unfold.She smiled as she saw the male cardcaptors capture Dash.They had shown teamwork when battling the combined Clow Cards the other night, put together by her mother.They now showed compassion, aiding a Clow Card, and not being merciless.The figure smiled.Perhaps her mother wouldn't win the fight after all.


	13. The School Fair

The Second Generation 13

Meeko: Meeko here!This time with Shinji!Shinji: Yeah, last time we got ourselves into quite a little mischief.Meeko: He's right!I know Akiko likes Makoto.Shinji: and Makoto has already told me he like Akiko.Meeko: But being the stubborn one that he is, he hasn't told her yet.So Shinji and I… Shinji: We plan to set the two up using the fair as the basis. Meeko: While baking the cake though, Akiko and I ran into the Sweet.Shinji: Yeah, and a brat from school captured Dash, resulting in a fight.Meeko: My brother fought someone?Shinji: Yep!We saved Dash, who in return let us capture it.Meeko: Wow, well anyway.The day of the festival came fast so now we just hope our plan works.Shinji: It will, because you thought of it.Meeko: Did you say something? Shinji: No.Meeko: Okay, on with the festivities!!!!

Meeko sat in class, wanting it to end so fast, so she could go to the fair that was scheduled after school.Meeko felt the eyes of someone on her and turned to see Hitori looked at her.The girl smiled, her green eyes sparkling with an unnatural power.Meeko turned away, not wanting to look any more.Something was strange with the new girl.Being the teacher's daughter had to be tough.Meeko could only imagine the pain the girl went through with a mother like that.

Meeko felt a hand on her shoulder and slightly turned to Shinji behind her.He passed her a note._Won't be long now before the festival.Ready on your end?_

__Meeko smiled.She could always count on Shinji to take her mind off of anything troubling.She wrote back._Yep, she's all ready.We'll win.Will Makoto win?_Shinji wrote back._We could use the Dash Card if things got ugly._Meeko gasped._Shinji!_Shinji laughed behind her and wrote back._Just kidding.We're ready._Meeko smiled in satisfaction and sat back waiting for the end of the day.

She didn't really have all that long to wait, for only an hour later, class was out and the four were free to go to the fair.Meeko went with Akiko to get her cake that she had made, while Makoto and Shinji waited outside. (Note: Only Shinji knows Akiko's in the contest, besides Meeko of course)

_Why am I doing this again?_Makoto thought.He didn't really want to kiss anyone… other than Akiko.Her blue eyes and purple hair made her look so beautiful.He wanted to kiss her.Then again, Makoto was never one to back down from a dare.

Shinji looked over at Makoto's nervousness."You ready?"

Makoto sighed."I guess."

Shinji patted him on the back."Okay, come on.Let's go."He took Makoto away from the door, where Meeko as hiding with Akiko.Saying she didn't want anyone to see Akiko's cake till the contest.When Shinji and Makoto were away, Meeko took Akiko over to the baking table to set up for the contest.

When Meeko was getting ready, Yukito shows up."Hey you two!"

Meeko smiled."Konnichiwa, Yukito-san.Why are you here?"

Yukito smiled as Nakuru came up behind him, holding his hand."Like he could ever say no to cake."

That made both Akiko and Meeko giggle.Yukito tried to cover up his tracks."I'm just one of the judges.I came by to wish you good luck."

Akiko beamed."Arigatou!"Then Nakuru dragged Yukito away form the table to let the girls work.

Syaoran and Sakura were at the starting line of the race, waiting for it to start."Makoto has always been a good runner."Syaoran commented.

Sakura giggled, as she held onto his arm."He gets that from you."

Syaoran raised an eyebrow."You're not such a bad runner yourself."He leaned on a kissed her on the lips.Shinji walked up and cleared his throat, causing both adults to break apart.

"The race is going to start.You guys gonna watch or play kissing face all day?"

Syaoran growled.Shinji was nice, but he was too smart mouthed for his own good sometimes.Sakura held Syaoran back."We'll be right there."

Shinji nodded and went to one of the checkpoints.Sakura giggled and pecked Syaoran on the cheek. (Just trying to get some S+S in here too okay?Everything's "G" so far.Kero: Still feel bad about Ch. 9?Digidynasty: Yeah so!?)Anyway, Sakura and Syaoran got to the starting line and watched the gun go into the air.

"On your marks!Get set!GO!"The gun went off, and so did Makoto.Shinji cheered him on and Sakura and Syaoran shouted cheers to their son.

In the bushes, Hitori watched, like she always did, but this time her mother wanted to destroy the Cardcaptor Makoto.Hitori sighed.She didn't want to, but if she didn't her mother would punish her.So reluctantly, Hitori took out a card and released it.The card glowed and disappeared.Hitori closed her eyes and thought._Be careful.Looks can be deceiving._Then she disappeared to find her mother and report.

Shinji gasped as he heard a voice in his head, telling him to be careful.He looked around, and felt the presence of a Clow Card.He saw Makoto pass him again.What did the voice mean? Be careful?Shinji would keep his senses open for anything out of the ordinary; he just hoped it wasn't something they couldn't handle.

Meeko watched Akiko serve her cake to the judges, including Yukito.She had made a double chocolate cake, just like Meeko had suggested, also irresistible for Yukito.He took one taste and gave it a ten.Akiko and Meeko cheered, but then suddenly, felt a Clow Card.They looked at each other, and nodded, before running away from the judging table.They ran around looked for Eriol and Tomoyo, who were also there, but soon saw something bizarre.People around them started to fall asleep.One minute they were standing, the next, the fell to the ground, fast asleep.

"What is going on?"Meeko wondered.

Off to the side, Madoushi Sensei smiled as her plan was beginning to take effect.Hitori appeared besides her."Loop Card has been released."She said.

"Good, now only one card left."Madoushi sensei smiled and released the last card."This will take care of those pesky Cardcaptors once and for all!"She laughed, while Hitori beside her grew sad.

Hitori didn't want her classmates to get hurt.She watched as one by one everyone feel asleep, spectators and judges alike.She saw the card her mother had released, lift up one of the tables and aim it at Meeko.She couldn't let this happen.She jumped out of her hiding spot and shouted."Look out!!"

Meeko turned around and saw it coming; she grabbed Akiko and dove to the side, the table smashing into pieces.Meeko looked back to the voice who had warned them, but found no one.She got up, helping Akiko up, and turned to see Yue, and Ruby Moon behind them."Our enemy has release more Clow Cards here."Yue said.

"Which ones?"Meeko asked.

Ruby Moon stepped forward."Power, Sleep, and Loop."

Akiko gasped."Makoto!"

"Don't worry."Yue said."My Mistress and The Clow Descendant are there with them, along with my son.He will be fine."

"We on the other hand, have to stop this now."Ruby Moon proclaimed.

Meeko nodded and as one, she and Akiko took out their staffs."I'm going to find my father." Akiko said.

Yue shook his head."He will not help you."

Ruby Moon nodded in agreement."I will go with you.Yue will go with Meeko.We must seal them now."

Akiko and Meek nodded, and went off in separate directions.

Back at the race, Makoto stopped running, while Shinji ran up to him."Everyone's asleep!"

Makoto gasped."We have to help them!"

Shinji shook his head."We have to get out of here first!We're trapped!"

Makoto frowned, but then sensed the Clow Card as well."Which one?"

"Loop Card."Shinji said, taking out his staff."We have to find the breaking point."

Makoto nodded and took out his sword."Let's go!"

"Matte!"The two boys turned to see Syaoran and Sakura running towards them."We can aide you!We'll split up and try and find the break in the loop."

Makoto nodded and took off to the right, Syaoran behind him.Shinji pulled out his wings, and took off to the left, Sakura using Fly right behind him.

Makoto looked and looked, but couldn't find the line."Where is it?"He asked in frustration.

"Use your mind's eye!You'll find it!"Syaoran assured him.

Makoto closed his eyes, and tried to sense for the break in the loop.He ran and felt something, making him stop.He turned to a point that he had just crossed."Right there!"

Syaoran smiled at his son's growing powers."Seal it!"

"I can't.I can't seal cards…can I?"

Syaoran smirked."No one ever said you couldn't.Now seal it!"

Makoto nodded.He brought down his sword on the break and cut the loop.Loop appeared and started floating up.Makoto brought up his sword."Loop Card!Return to the shape you were meant to be!"Loop turned back into a card, and floated to Makoto's hand.

Syaoran smiled."Let's go find the others!"

Akiko dodged flying pieces of chairs, tables, and some of the statues the school had around.Ruby Moon flew besides her, contemplating a plan."You have to challenge it to a competition."She said.

Akiko frowned.She wasn't that strong to win against anything like that.She'd have to cheat…or trick Power, but how?Then it came to her."Shot-put!"Suddenly, the sounds of things being thrown stopped, and Akiko turned around to see Power appear, smiling.

Meeko searched through the fair looking for The Sleep.She saw friends and teachers passed out on the floor.But she didn't notice _her_ teacher wasn't among the fallen.Yue flew above her."Sleep is around here somewhere."

Meeko nodded and stretched out her senses.Soon she found a little blue light moving around the fair, looking for more victims.She shouted."Sleep!"

Sleep jolted from its searched and smiled at Meeko, finding its next target.It dove towards her, aiming its sleep dust at her.Meeko gasped."Fly!"Wings grew out of her back and she took to the air.Sleep took after her in hot pursuit.

Yue shouted."You have to use one of your cards!"

Meeko thought.She really only had Fly and Wave.Wait!That's it!Meeko took out the Wave."Wave Card!"Wav came and went after Sleep, trying to drench it with its water.

Sleep dodged Wave's attacks, not paying any attention to Meeko.Meeko in the meantime, circled around, coming in front of Sleep.Sleep was looking behind her, watching Wave going up, when Meeko brought up her staff."Sleep Card!Return to the shape you were meant to be!"Sleep tried to escape, but was ultimately sealed as a card and floated to Meeko.

Akiko watched as Power threw the metal ball into the air, sending it flying into the air, landing a good forty feet away. Akiko gritted her teeth as she tried to pick up another ball, similar to the one Power had thrown and found it difficult to even lift.

Ruby Moon watched, but then started noticing everyone waking up."Akiko!"

Akiko was distracted and threw the ball the wrong way.The ball went flying to the left, hitting Power right in the head.Power collapsed to the ground, leaving Akiko shocked.

"Seal it!"Ruby Moon said.

"To thy try form!Power Card!"Power was sealed and awarded to Akiko.Right then, all the others came out into the open: Makoto, Shinji. Syaoran, Sakura, Meeko, and Yue.

Meeko started to panic."Look at the mess!What are we going to do?"

Sakura smiled."Leave that to me!"She took out her cards."Erase Card!"Erase cleaned up all the mess."Create Card!"Create made everything like new again.

Yue and Ruby Moon changed into their other forms, and saw everyone slowly wake up.No one remembered anything, so it all started over again.

Kero and Suppi appeared out of nowhere."What'd we miss?"Kero asked.

Everyone laughed."What took you guys so long?"Shinji asked.

Kero pouted."Suppi here wanted to have a snack_ before_ coming."He glared at Suppi, who hid behind Nakuru.

"Well, you guys are just in time for the judging."Sakura said.

Makoto and Shinji returned to the race, to see everyone waiting for them.The judge walked up and shook Makoto's hand."Congratulations.It appears you had the most laps done.You are the winner!"

Makoto was shocked, but accepted the prize.Shinji then led him to the main stage.

Akiko was sitting nervously as the rest of the judges tried her cake.The last judge looked at everyone else, they nodded and he smiled."The winner!"

Akiko and Meeko jumped for joy, and were led to the stage.

Tomoyo stood in the middle of everything, happy of what she had recorded, but sad about the way Eriol had acted."Everyone else helps in ways they can.Why can't we?"

Eriol kept his face calm."They must do this on their own.We can not interfere."

Tomoyo looked down sadly at the ground, but soon heard the announcer and grabbed Eriol's hand."Come on!I want to get this!"

On stage, Makoto was shocked to see Akiko led up as the winner of the baking contest."Now the two winners will share a kiss to end this momentous occasion!For not only have we earned enough money for the camping trip, demo (but) a great one at that!Tomoyo and her husband Eriol have donated a large sum of money for the school!"Everyone cheered and clapped for the news.The announcer turned to Makoto and Akiko."You may now kiss!"

Makoto and Akiko blushed furiously, as they inched towards each other.Shinji and Meeko on the sides giggled and put the past part of their plan into action.Shinji raised a finger, and gently _pushed Makoto right into Akiko, sealing the kiss._

Everyone cheered, and Makoto and Akiko shared a beautiful kiss in front of everyone.Sakura and Syaoran clapped, as did Yukito and Nakuru.Meeko sighed."How sweet.Sometimes I wish I had won."

Shinji smiled and turned Meeko towards him, laying a kiss right on her lips.She was shocked at first, but soon wrapped her arms around him, kissing back.

Syaoran looked for his daughter and was shocked to see her kissing Shinji!He growled."Get your lips off of my daughter!"

Shinji and Meeko broke the kiss, as they saw a very mad Syaoran coming after them.Shinji gave one last peck on Meeko's cheek, before making a break for it.Sakura came up to Meeko's side giggling."And he was hated when Touya drove him away."

Meeko sighed as she watched Syaoran angrily chase Shinji around the fair for kissing his daughter.Meeko on the other hand, would never forget this day.The day her crush actually kissed her. 

Back in a dark room, Hitori was thrown in, battered and bruised, bleeding from several cuts.Madoushi sensei growled at her."That's punishment for disobeying me!"

Hitori rolled up into a ball and cried as her "mother" slammed the gate, locking Hitori inside.Hitori didn't know what to do.She felt pain all over, but knew she had to warn them.What her "mother" was doing was wrong.Hitori lay there, trying to make the pain go away.Soon, she would tell the cardcaptors what the real story was…hopefully they would agree to help her.


	14. Meeko’s First Date

The Second Generation 14

Akiko:Akiko here!And boy have I got news for you!Makoto: That's right!Last time, my sister and her crush Shinji, played a little matchmaking. Akiko: Unknown to us, their little plan was working, until some Clow Cards decided to spoil the fun.Makoto: Loop, Sleep, and Power, all made an entrance of their own at the fair.Akiko: While capturing Power, I heard someone scream at us to watch out, but I didn't see anyone. Makoto: And Shinji said he heard someone warn him about the Loop Card before.Akiko: So anyway, after sealing the cards, Makoto and I….Makoto: We…had to go on stage and….Akiko: Kiss. Makoto: Little did I know, but Meeko also was living out her dream, because Shinji kissed her too. Akiko: Demo, her father didn't like that at all and drove him away.Makoto: That won't stop him.Akiko: You think?

Meeko sat in the living room, reading a book, not caring about a thing in the world.She still hadn't gotten over the shock of what Shinji had done.He had kissed her.Actually kissed her.She sighed at the memory.Then remembered how her father had driven Shinji away.What was he scared about?Shinji wouldn't do anything to hurt her.All day Meeko had trouble concentrating at school.With Shinji right behind her, she thought about him all day, not really caring what was going on.

Now she only wished she could tell him what she felt.

Just then, she heard a knock at the door."Coming!"She got up and went to the door.She opened and saw… "Shinji!"

Shinji stood there, obviously nervous about something."Hi…M…Meeko."He greeted.

Meeko frowned."Daijubou?" (I know that's not spelled right, don't sue me)

Shinji looked down at the ground."About yesterday…"

Meeko blushed and smiled."I really enjoyed…"

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

Meeko gasped.Shinji looked up and met her amber eyes with his gray ones, to show his sincerity.Meeko's heart was beating faster and faster.She was unable to speak at first…making Shinji more nervous.She with held a giggle at his nervousness and nodded."I'd love to."

Shinji smiled and held in his excitement."Great!Ano…tomorrow…say five o'clock?"

Meeko nodded."Tomorrow."

"Meeko!Who's at the door?"Her father's voice came from the kitchen.

Meeko panicked."No one!"Then she turned to Shinji and winked, before closing the door.

Shinji jumped for joy and ran all the way back home, screaming…"She said yes!She said yes!She said yes!"Over and over again.

Meeko ran up to her room, and plopped on her bed, sighing in happy bliss.Makoto above her gazed down at her."What's up with you?"

Meeko sighed again and smiled."Shinji, he asked me out on a date!"

Makoto gasped and nearly fell out of his bunk bed."He what?"

Meeko frowned."I really don't know why you two are so uptight about.He's a real gentleman you know."

"Yeah right, I leave him one minute with you and you get stuck in that shield thingy!I don't trust him that far."Makoto argued.

Meeko rolled her eyes."You couldn't have done any better if you were there.Even dad's sword couldn't break it."Makoto knew she was right."And wasn't it Shinji who ultimately saved me in the end?"

Makoto sighed in defeat."Okay.Okay.Just be careful?"

Meeko nodded and laid down, staring into space.Tomorrow was going to be perfect.

Makoto and Shinji had to stay after school for soccer practice, which left Akiko and Meeko to walk home alone."He actually asked you out?"Akiko asked all excited.

Meeko blushed."You should've seen it!He was so nervous!"She giggled along with Akiko.

"Oh please let me make you an outfit!I won't go overboard I swear!"

Meeko raised an eyebrow."Are you sure you're Aunt Tomoyo's kid?"

Akiko put her hands on her hips."I'm just more conservative!"

Meeko giggled.All right, all right.My place, 4 o'clock."

Akiko nodded and went off her own way.

Meeko smiled and thought of her and Shinji holding hands.

_Help me._

__Meeko stopped."Who are you?"She recognized the voice from the one who saved them at the fair the other day.

_Please help me_.

Meeko frowned."Show me who you are."

"Meeko-chan!I forgot!" Akiko came running back, ruining the feeling Meeko had.Akiko came running up and saw Meeko's confused look."Are you okay?"

Meeko shook her head."Yeah, I'm fine.What's up?"

Akiko blushed."Could you…maybe get…Makoto to…"

Meeko laughed."Ask you out on a date?" Akiko blushed more and stared at the ground."Sure…no problem."

Akiko looked up all happy."Arigatou!"Then she ran away, back to her house.

The doorbell rang and Meeko answered it, not surprised to see Akiko."You're twenty minutes late!"

"Oh, gomennasai!I had to put the finishing touches on your outfit!"She pulled out her latest design.Meeko gasped.It was a red dress, short sleeved, ending about her upper thigh.It had shorts that fit underneath it."What do you think?"

Meeko gentle touched it."It's beautiful."

Akiko giggled."Let's get you dressed!!!"She grabbed Meeko's arm and dragged her back up stairs.

At five o'clock sharp, Shinji appeared at the door.He knocked and was shocked to see a gorgeous Meeko answer the door.His mouth dropped to the floor, unable to speak.Meeko giggled, suddenly shy."Ready?"

Shinji could only nod, and hold out his arm.Meeko gentle took it and they went to the park.

Akiko sighed and watched them leave from the upstairs window."They are so kawaii."

Makoto, who was leaning up against the wall, arms crossed, snorted."If he tries anything, he's going to have to answer to me."

Akiko giggled and rolled her eyes."Come on now.You know Shinji isn't like that."She grabbed his arm."Now come on.I have to get you measured."_In case you ever ask me out on a date, at least you'll have something nice to wear_.Akiko thought, remembering all the grubby soccer clothes Makoto usually wore.She pulled him into the bathroom, and started measuring him._Good luck Meeko._She thought.

Meeko and Shinji, once at the park, got two hotdogs, at a small cart that was at the park, and sat down on one of the benches to eat.(What did you expect?They're only ten!)

Meeko took a bite and smiled at Shinji.He was so nervous watching her; he bit his finger instead of the hotdog."Oww!"He said, dropping the hotdog on the ground.

Meeko gasped."Are you okay?" (I would say the other word, but of course, I forgot the spelling)

Shinji shook his finger."Yeah.It doesn't matter."

"Should we go and get you another one?"She asked.

Shinji shook his head."No, it's okay.The best part of this is that you're here besides me."He blushed.

Meeko blushed madly at what he said.She took one hand, and gentle place it on his, making him blush more.

Suddenly, they felt a Clow Card, but it was a gentle one.All around them, little green lights floated around the two, illuminating the night.Meeko gasped at its beauty.

Shinji smiled."The Glow."

Meeko looked around."No one's here anymore.Do we have to seal it?"

Shinji smiled and wrapped an arm around Meeko to make sure she didn't get cold."We'll let it stay here, as long as it behaves."He replied, more to the card than Meeko.

Glow seemed happy and glowed brighter for the two couples.Meeko smiled and felt enticed by the mood.Shinji felt it too and leaned in. Their lips met, and they shared a second kiss, under the moon, and The Glow.

They broke the kiss, and Meeko sighed."We probably should catch it now."

Shinji nodded and helped Meeko up.Meeko took out her key."Key of Clow, bestowed by right.Surrender the wand.Surrender the light!Release!"Her key turn into a staff, and she held it over her head."Glow.Return to the shape you were meant to be!"Glow turned into a card, and settled in Meeko's hand.

Shinji came up and wrapped his arms around Meeko from behind, making her giggle, but lean back into him all the same."That was wonderful."Shinji said, giving her a peck on the cheek.

Meeko smiled."It was a simple card."

Just then, Meeko felt danger coming, and felt someone, not Shinji; push her and Shinji out of the way.She fell to the ground, just in time to see an arrow, set itself into the ground where they were just a second ago.

Shinji helped her up and called out his staff.He looked around and spotted the person who had saved them."Hitori!"

It was the green-eyed girl from class.Without turned to them she shouted."We have to distract it!"

Meeko frowned."Distract what?"Then she saw it, a little girl with pink hair, wearing a purple outfit. "What is that?"

Shinji growled and stepped in front of Meeko."That's Arrow!"

Arrow smirked and let loose another arrow.One that split into several arrows, all aimed at Meeko, Shinji, and now Hitori too.

Meeko threw her hands forward and a shield formed.The arrows came at her, and were deflected.Arrow was not happy, and flew in straight at them.Meeko gasped."Fly!"Wings grew out of her back and she flew to the side.

Shinji had his wings come out and flew to the other side.Hitori, jumped straight up.

Meeko gasped at what she saw.The same girl, who had sat so quietly in their class, was jumping and dodging Clow Cards!

Arrow took aim at Shinji as he flew away.Meeko saw it."Shinji!"

Shinji turned just in time to see an arrow coming at him.He tried to move out of the way, but one struck his wing…sending him to the ground.

Meeko flew down."Shinji!"She landed besides him and held his head in her lap."Are you okay?"She felt like crying.

He gave a weak nod."I'll be okay."

Hitori ran over to them."We have to distract it!"

Meeko frowned."With what!"She gasped as she saw Arrow take aim again.She picked up Shinji and flew into the air.Hitori moved to the side and growled.

"Arrow doesn't act nicely to people who make her miss." Hitori explained."She has a record of always hitting her mark.Usually her victims."

Meeko growled._How dare she attack Shinji!_

__Arrow took aim again, this time at Meeko.Meeko glared at her and stood up, leaving a shield around Shinji.She held her staff in both hands."Come and get me!"She flew into the air.Arrow growled and flew after her.(Some say Arrow can't fly, I say she can, okay?) 

Meeko dodged right and left as Arrow attacked her relentlessly.Meeko circled around again, looking for the rogue Clow Card.She turned around, stretching out her senses to the woods around her.

"Look out!"Something hit her again, knocking her to the side.

Meeko got up and saw Hitori, lying on the ground, an arrow in her shoulder."Hitori!"

Hitori looked up… "Distract it…"

Meeko growled and tried to think._How can I distract Arrow long enough to seal it?_Then it hit her.She pulled out a card."Glow!"

Glow released and flew around Arrow at great speeds.Arrow closed her eyes, making her aim off from Meeko.Glow was moving around her too fast, making her dizzy.Meeko saw her chance.She flew into the air and landed behind Arrow.

"Arrow!Return to the shape you were meant to be!"Arrow was pulled unceremoniously into the card, and flew to Meeko's awaiting hand.

She looked over and saw Shinji passed out, and Hitori close to passing out as well.She had to get them somewhere safe.

_Brother…the park…I need your help._

_Nani?What happened?_Her brother's concerned voice returned.

_Just come to the park…bring mom and dad._

_I'm on my way._

_ _

__A few minutes later, Makoto, Akiko, Syaoran, and Sakura arrived at the scene.Syaoran looked over the two victims."Let's get them to the house."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and headed off.


	15. Enemy Revealed

The Second Generation 15

Meeko: Sigh, last time Shinji actually asked me out on a date!I was so surprised!Makoto: I wouldn't exactly call that a date.You went to the park.Meeko: It's more that you ever did to Akiko!Why don't you ask her out on a date?Makoto: Because…um…Meeko: See?Anyway, Glow made a nice little entrance, and really made things romantic.Makoto: Until Arrow joined the party.Meeko: Amazingly, Hitori was there and saved us, enabling me to capture Arrow.Makoto: Then I came with the cavalry and plan to help Shinji and Hitori recover.Meeko: Hopefully, we'll find out what exactly is going on.

Meeko watched her father lay Shinji and Hitori carefully down on the two couches in the living room.She sat by Shinji's side, and tried to hold back the tears.It was all her fault.If she had caught on to what Hitori was trying to tell them, Shinji wouldn't have gotten hurt.Akiko sat by Hitori's side, holding her hand, like Meeko was doing for Shinji.Meeko was following his parents around, trying to figure out what they were doing.

Sakura came back into the room with bandages and started cleaning Hitori's wound.Syaoran came over and whiped the blood from Shinji's wing.When Syaoran was done, he went to the kitchen and started making phone calls.Sakura finished healing Hitori, and went to join Syaoran.

Meeko sighed and felt tears fall anyway, as she stroked Shinji's bangs out of his eyes.Shinji moved slightly and slowly opened his eyes.Meeko smiled at him, while her tears kept coming.Shinji slowly raised a hand and whiped them away."Don't cry."He said weakly."I'll be okay."

Meeko held his hand against her cheek."I'm sorry."

Shinji frowned."For what?"

"For getting you hurt."

Shinji smiled."As long as you're safe, I'd take a thousand arrows right to the chest."

Meeko smiled and gave Shinji a small, gentle hug.They both heard Akiko gasp, and turned to see Hitori coming to."Akiko."Meeko called, and Akiko took her spot besides Shinji, while Meeko went to Hitori's side.

"Are you okay?"Meeko asked carefully.

Hitori smiled sadly."It's not anything else I'm not used to."Meeko frowned, not understanding, so Hitori continued."My mother, your teacher, is not who she appears to be."

Makoto came back."They're calling all the adults.Everyone should be here soon."Then he noticed Hitori awake.Kero came in from being on Sakura's shoulder and landed on the couch's armrest. (I know I haven't had him in yet, but there's a reason.Just wait. ^_~)

"Who are you?"Kero asked Hitori.

Hitori closed her eyes."My mother…is actually a very powerful sorceress.She wants to destroy the descendants of Clow, before they can capture all the Clow Cards.

Makoto gasped."Y…your mo…mother?Madoushi Sensei?"

Hitori gasped.Meeko frowned."It was you."Everyone looked at Meeko strangely.She ignored them."At the park…it was you, wasn't it?Asking for help."

Hitori nodded."My mother will know I'm here soon.I have to leave here, or she will come after you."

Makoto stepped forward."We can handle it."

Before he could say more, the doorbell rang.Sakura and Syaoran went to go answer it, and Tomoyo, Eriol, Yukito, and Nakuru, all came in.

"What's the matter?"Tomoyo asked.

Syaoran said nothing, only pointed to Hitori.Eriol nodded."It has begun."

Yukito and Nakuru transformed into their full forms, and Suppi came out from his hiding spot."What's going on?Something's wrong."

Kero felt it too."She's here."

Hitori tried to get up, but Makoto had to help her, while Meeko ran to Shinji's side, as the feeling got worse."We have to get out of here."Hitori said weakly.

Just then, the whole house shook, and the sky grew dark.All the birds stopped singing, and everything was deathly still. Sakura looked outside."There!"

Everyone ran out, and saw the shadow women who had tried to take the cards, who had attacked Akiko earlier…she finally revealed herself as Madoushi Sensei."Give her back!"

Hitori held onto Makoto's arm, which made Akiko kind of jealous, but she let it pass."I…I don't want to be your daughter anymore!"She said.

Madoushi laughed."As if you had a choice!"She raised a hand, readying an attack, making all the adults jump in front of the children.

Syaoran took out his weapon, along with Sakura and Eriol.Eriol was against helping seal the cards, but this was beyond that, he would not let this woman get to the children."Suppi!Kero!Get the kids out of here!"Syaoran ordered.

Suppi transformed into Spinel Sun and Kero transformed into Keroberus, and flew besides the children.Keroberus grabbed Meeko and Shinji, while Spinel Sun grabbed Makoto, Akiko and Hitori, and threw them on their back.

Meeko struggled, while Shinji held her back."Mom!Dad!Iie!!!"

Sakura had a determined look on her face."You will not harm the children!"

Madoushi once again laughed."And who's gonna stop me?You?I think not!"

She powered up her attack, and set it at the adults, making them jumped apart from each other.Tomoyo was on the side, no longer with a camera, only praying her friends and family were okay.

Sakura pulled out her card."Thunder!"

Syaoran threw his sword forward."Lightning!"No longer needing the whole incantation for his attack.

Madoushi laughed maniacally and shocked all the adults as the attacks bounced off her purple hued shield.She smiled and threw her hand forward again; this time uplifted the ground under their feet.Sakura called out Fly and took to the air, along with Yue and Ruby Moon, while Eriol and Syaoran stayed on the ground.

The children watched this from the air, as their parents fought what looked like a losing battle.Hitori watched all of it sadly."They cannot win."She stated.

"Hey!That's my mom and dad down there!If they can't do it, none of us can!"Makoto countered.

Yue and Ruby Moon let loose their white and maroon crystal attack, still only bouncing off her shield.It seemed that nothing would faze her.

Syaoran got mad, and watched Eriol make ready an attack of his own.Syaoran saw his opportunity.Eriol let loose his fireball attack, and Syaoran attacked with his new weapon.Syaoran threw his sword forward and shouted."Solar Ray!"A beam of white and yellow light blasted out, combining with Eriol's attack, breaking threw Madoushi's shield and hitting her.

She went flying and blasted into the side of the wall of the house. When she got up, her eyes glowed red."You will pay for this!"Putting her two hands together, she blasted a blue ball attack into the sky, while floated there, then exploded, and knocking all those in a close proximity down to the ground.

Farther away, Meeko screamed."MOMMY!"

Sakura fell to the ground, landing in Syaoran's arms.She weakly stood, needing Syaoran to hold her up. Eriol lowered Yue and Ruby Moon safely to the ground.

Madoushi laughed."I only need to get through you to get what I want."

She sent another blue blast, right in the middle of the adults, exploding and sending them all to the ground.

Keroberus and Spinel Sun nodded, landing and letting the children down."Stay here!"Keroberus commanded, while he and Spinel Sun took off towards the battle.

Meeko cried into Shinji's shoulder, while Akiko held onto Makoto's arm.Hitori watched solemnly."Please be careful."She whispered.

Spinel Sun came in and attacked with his maroon beam, blasting Madoushi to her knee.Keroberus called forth his fire attack, aimed right at her, but she jumped out of the way."Now they send animals after me?"

She formed her blue ball attack and threw it at Spinel Sun.He dodged it and blasted her again.She blocked it, and growled."You wanna play hard ball?Fine with me!"She took out an odd pendant, it was yellow, and was held in a dragon's claw."Powers of darkness, lend me your powers.Send these ignorant beasts to their knees!"

The pendant glowed and the earth began to shake.Out of the ground, burst giant dragon claws.One grabbed Spinel Sun and the other Keroberus.The struggled, but were unable to get free.

Suddenly, the claws glowed and fiercely fed energy into Keroberus and Spinel Sun, making them cry out in pain, until they were forced to unconsciousness.

Madoushi looked around, seeing all the adults down, smiled."Now for the children.

Meeko gasped and got her wand ready.Makoto and the other followed suit, even Hitori, who narrowed her eyes at her "mother".

Madoushi came forth and rolled her eyes."You think you can stand up against me?"She simply snapped her fingers, making a high-pitched noise fill the air.

They all covered their ears against the noise; of course it did no good.They were all driven to their knees, and soon they too were unconsciousness.Makoto was the last one to go down.Madoushi came up to him and kicked him hard in the face, so he too was out.

She smiled."Now I have all of you."

Keroberus awoke first, looking around found the claw gone, Spinel Sun stirred and awoke besides him.He nodded and went to Syaoran and Sakura, while Spinel Sun went to Yue and Ruby Moon.

Keroberus slightly nudged Syaoran and awake, who slowly got up and looked around.Soon everyone awoke and looked around…dread clenching their gut.

"Where are the children?"Sakura asked

Tomoyo held her hands together."She has them."

Syaoran narrowed his eyes."Not for long."


	16. Demon Of The Underworld

The Second Generation 16

Sakura: Last time, we brought home an injured Shinji and another girl named Hitori.Syaoran: After calling all the parents, a woman appeared.Sakura:It was our children's teacher.Syaoran: They really need to do better tests on the people they hire to be teachers.Sakura: Anyway, she attacked and no matter what we did, nothing worked.Syaoran: Spinel Sun and Keroberus got a few hits, but soon fell as well. Sakura: Now she has the children and Hitori.Syaoran: But I plan on getting them back!Just wait and see!

Meeko slowly opened her eyes and looked around.She saw they were chained to the wall on a dark cell.Everyone was accounted for.Her brother, Shinji, Akiko, and Hitori were all chained to the wall besides her.

_Makoto._

__No response.

_Makoto, wake up._

__Slowly, Makoto opened his eyes and look sideways at his sister."Where…where are we?"

Meeko tried to get free, but the chains only cut into her skin more."I don't know, demo we have to get out."

Makoto rolled his eyes."Yeah, I wasn't thinking about that."He turned to his and moved slightly to nudged Akiko awake.She stirred and opened her eyes."Come on.We're breaking out of here."

Shinji was already awake and woke up Hitori next to him.Hitori fought back to tears that threatened to come out of her eyes."G…gomennasai.I didn't mean…to involve all of you."

Meeko shook her head."You're our friend, and we'll help you in any way we can."

"Especially against Madoushi Sensei." Makoto added.Meeko glared at him.

Hitori shook her head."We can't win…She's too powerful."

Shinji smiled warmly."We'll find a way.We always do.You just have to have faith."

Hitori nodded and slowly smiled."Arigatou minna-san.For everything."

A little later the cell door opened and Madoushi Sensei walked in."I hope you like your living conditions."She said with a cold smiled.

Makoto shrugged."Would be nice with a couch or two."

"Maybe a window."Meeko added.

Akiko smiled."And wonderful curtains to…"

"Silence!"Madoushi bellowed."You fools have had your fun, now you will pay!"

Shinji glared at her."Be careful what you do… Our parents will be here soon."He knew it was an empty threat.Their parents probably had no idea where they were right now, let alone had enough strength to defeat her.

Madoushi smiled."I will just have to get rid of the reason they'd come here at all."Everyone gasped and widened their eyes.Madoushi threw her hands up into the air and formed, what seemed like, a large black hole, and aimed it at the children. 

Meeko's body slightly shook with fear."Iie!!!!"

But it was too late, Madoushi released the attack, blasting the kids, and pinning them to the wall.

They screamed out in pain, until all of them passed out.Their bodies hung there lifelessly, dangling in the chains.

Madoushi smiled."Now the ceremony can begin."

Little did Shinji know, was that the parents did have a plan to find their children and were following out with it at that same moment.

Syaoran and the others felt their children's aura's become distorted and disrupted.That was when Syaoran couldn't wait any longer.He pulled out his trusty lasenboard."Source of light with ancient spin.Send forth the magic power within.Oracles of gold, wood, water, fire, earth, clouds, wind, rain, and electricity.Force knew my plight, release the light!!"The lasenboard came to life and shot out a blue light towards where the children were being held prisoner."Let's go!"He ran off, Sakura on his heels, and everyone else right behind them.

Everyone else, but Tomoyo, that is.Upon request from Eriol, Sakura had used the Sleep on Tomoyo, and she was now fast asleep at home.Eriol didn't want to have to worry about his wife being hurt, as well as his daughter.As Eriol ran after Syaoran, he mentally prayed._Please be okay, Akiko, and everyone else.For the love of Kami-sama, don't take them away from me._

This time, Akiko was the first to awaken.She took one look around and screamed.The scream brought up everyone's attention.Meeko opened her eyes and gasped at the site before her.

Hitori was unconsciously hanging on what was similar to an American cross, but slightly different, with the tips splitting into three spikes.

Shinji narrowed his eyes."Hitori!Wake up!"

Hitori stirred and slowly opened her eyes.She looked around, fear taken hold."Oh…no…she…"

"Oh yes I would."Madoushi said out of nowhere.The children saw Madoushi come out the shadows, holding a large magic book in her hand."I will, right in front of everyone."

Hitori shook her head, tears coming out once more."Please don't…I…"

"You had your chance!"Madoushi yelled back.

Makoto frowned."What is she talking about?"

Shinji saw the cover of the book and remembered something his father, while Yue, had told him.

_Yue sat next to his son and handed him a transcript."The time will come when you will have to face the person who created this magic.It is black magic, completely opposite from Clow Reed's magic."_

_Shinji nodded."Why show this to me now?"_

_Yue looked up at the sky."I sense the Clow Cards have once again been scattered.That is why we are going to Japan.This person has also sensed it and will prepare to unleash dark forces, which until now have been sealed away.She will use powerful subjects to break the seal.That is why you must stop it.In case none of us adult can be there."_

_Shinji nodded and stared at the symbol…he wondered…when will I have to face this?_

_ _

__Shinji saw the exact same symbol on the cover of the book.He gasped."No!You can't!"

Madoushi laughed."Oh, but I can.Hitori here will be my poor servant, like she has been this whole time."

Meeko frowned."What is she talking about?"She asked Hitori.

Madoushi smiled."Oh, you haven't told them?"Hitori closed her eyes."She is not my daughter."She told the kids."I created her.I used her.She was the one who unleashed the Silent and the Lock.She was there when I released Cloud, Thunder, and Wave upon this city."

Everyone gasped.Hitori looked up."I didn't want to!She made me!"

Meeko looked at her unbelievingly.Shinji narrowed his eyes."And you plan to use the descendants of Clow to break the seal."

Madoushi smiled."Very good, young one.I might find alternate use for you."

She opened the book and it floated in front of her.She began to read the passage in Japanese, the [incantation][1]…to unlocking the evil below.

Chikara no shiranai

Hakai suru ano raito…

(Powers of darkness)

(Destroy the light…)

Syaoran pulled out his sword outside the area he felt the children being held.Something wrong was happening. Sakura pulled out her card."Through Card!"Through Card made a hole in the side of the wall, where they felt the children the strongest.

Ruby Moon smiled."Better than using the front door."

Yue came forth."Matte."

Syaoran frowned.

Yue turned to Eriol."It has begun…"

Eriol nodded."We must fill you guys in on what you're about to see if we cannot stop this…"

Hitori struggled as Madoushi continued the second half on the incantation…

Ni kazen soshite kaeru

To issho ni subete jigoku chikara!

(To complete and transform)

(With all Hell's might!)

The ground in the center of the room began to shake and black beams busted out of the ground.Two shot at Meeko and Makoto, making them cry out in pain.A third shot at Hitori, also making her scream.

"Iie!"Shinji cried, pulling at the bonds, cutting more into his skin, but not getting any closer to being freed.

Suddenly, out of the side, came the adults.Sakura, Yue, and Ruby Moon, came in through the air.Syaoran came in, surprisingly riding Keroberus, and Eriol, riding Spinel Sun.They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw what happened next. 

Hitori began to change.Her eyes went from bright green, to pure black, with red pupils.She stopped screaming and began to laugh with a hellish voice."Yes!Yes!I am free!"

Madoushi smiled and opened her hands."I, Madoushi have freed you!You will serve me and destroy my enemies!!"

Hitori smiled evilly and pulled her arms forth, easily breaking the chains.Though instead of falling onto the ground, she floated in the air.

The black beams that hit Meeko and Makoto had stopped, leaving them unconscious.Syaoran growled."Let's move!"

Sakura and Ruby Moon flew to the children, while everyone went after Hitori.Shinji yelled."No!Don't hurt her!"

Yue turned to his son."She is not who she was anymore!"

"Don't hurt her!"Shinji insisted.

Eriol nodded."The transformation can be reversed, but for now we have to help the children escape!"

Syaoran went after Madoushi, who as trying to sneak quietly away."Force know my plight! Release the light!"Hit attack hit it's mark, and Madoushi fell to the ground, weakened from casting the spell earlier.

Yue attacked Hitori with his white crystals, which she easily dodges and threw a fireball at him, making him dive to the side.

Eriol fed power into Spinel Sun, blasting Hitori with a powerful red beam.She went flying and hit one of the spikes, it went through her back, and out her stomach.

Sakura and Ruby freed the children, though Shinji refused to let go of Meeko.He held her limp body in his arms.Sakura held Makoto, while Ruby Moon held Akiko.

"We have to get out of here!"Sakura called out.She and the others made their getaway, while Yue and Syaoran made sure Hitori was…gone.

Suddenly, Hitori's head shot up, and she laughed.She floated forward, coming off of the spike, and before their eyes, her wound healed.

Syaoran attacked with his lightning, but it didn't work.Keroberus tried, bit his flame sputtered out as it hit her skin.Syaoran's eyes widened."We are going…NOW!"

Keroberus needed no more encouragement.He turned around, Yue leaving with him.When they were out, Yue used his attack and sealed up the hole.They were safe for now.

Back at home, Meeko lay in bed, looking out of the window.Thanks to some quick healing from her parents, she and Makoto were fine.But Meeko still wondered about Hitori.Would they be able to save her?Or was she doomed to live a life that was not her own.She did not choose to be evil, he mother… no her creator force it on her.Meeko sighed and silently prayed they'd have enough strength to bring in the remaining Clow Cards, and save their friend.

Eriol sat with the rest of the adults in the living room."What has happened had been foretold.We tried to prevent it, but it occurred anyway.Now the rules have changed.We must side our children in bringing in the rest of the Clow Cards and focus on this new enemy at the same time."

Yue nodded."We must find the spell that will reverse the transformation for the girl."

Ruby Moon nodded."It must be hidden somewhere."

Sakura frowned."Would we be able to sense it."

Eriol shook his head."We will not be able to…demo…"

"Our children might."Syaoran caught on.

Kero in the center of the table, snacking on pastries with Suppi, snorted."The brat finally figured it out."

Syaoran growled."What did you say, stuffed toy!?"

Kero glared at him."You heard mrhprh…" Suppi stuffed his face with another treat and sighed.

"There…much more quieter."

That made everyone burst out laughing.Though the future seemed dim, they would find a way, with the help of their children, of course.

   [1]: http://www.geocities.com/digidynasty/incantation.htm



	17. Friend No More

The Second Generation 17

Eriol: Okay, last time, the ancient sorceress, Madoushi, came to Sakura and Syaoran's house, searching for her "daughter".I use that term loosely because it turned out later, that Hitori wasn't Madoushi's daughter at all, but rather her creation.Capturing the children, Syaoran and the rest of us went out to search for the children.We were too late, because Madoushi had already finished casting the spell to release the demon that was sealed in the underworld.Using Meeko and Makoto's magical powers, and Hitori's body, the demon possessed her and attacked the rest of us.We barely made it out, but now the problem is figuring out how to save Hitori, and capture the rest of the Clow Cards.The children's challenge has just begun.

Meeko and Shinji walked ahead of Makoto and Akiko, hoping the time alone would do them some good.Meeko didn't like to think about what happened to Hitori.She and the others didn't take the news that well when their parents had told them.

_ _

_Syaoran Sakura sat down with Meeko and Makoto.The others were already present…children and adults alike.Yukito and Nakuru, into Yue and Ruby Moon._

_Shinji frowned."Now what do we do?"_

_Makoto frowned."What do you mean now?"_

_"Yeah, we have to get Hitori back."Meeko said._

_Akiko nodded."No question about it."_

_Yue shook his head."She isn't the same school girl you knew and saving her won't be easy."_

_"With her possessed by the demon, she is no longer in control."Ruby Moon exclaimed._

_"But you are not alone."Everyone turned to Eriol, surprised that he joined in the conversation."We will help you."He said._

_Sakura frowned."Demo, I thought…"_

_"This is different.The situation has changed.We must help the children all we can."_

_Meeko brightened up at this and squeezed Shinji's arm, making him blush bright red.Maybe things would be different…then they could get their friend back…_

_ _

__Meeko looked over at where Hitori's seat had been.Now it was empty, as was the front of the class.Just then, the door opened and the class hushed.Everyone, except the Card Captors, expected Mrs. Madoushi, but that was not who walked in.When the woman stepped in, Meeko and Makoto and well as Shinji and Akiko, gasped.

_Auntie Kaho!_Both Meeko and Makoto thought.It was true, for there in the front of class, stood Mizuki Kaho.Her features had not changed that much, but her hair now had some gray streaks in it, not too much, she still retained her gracefulness and stature.

"Hello, everyone.I'll be your teacher from now on.You can call me, Mizuki Sensei."Everyone cheered, not really liking Madoushi sensei anyway.Especially Makoto, who cheered the loudest.

At lunch, Meeko and Makoto stayed behind to talk to their aunt.

"Why are you here all of a sudden?"Makoto asked.

"Eriol called me and told me about what happened.Touya and I got on the next plane out here."She explained.

Meeko giggled."How is Uncle Touya doing?He doesn't know about all this does he?"

Kaho shook her head."No, but he trusts me judgment."

Makoto nodded.Meeko smiled.Things didn't seem so dark anymore.

At home, the kids all ran up to Meeko and Makoto's room, to have their own little "chat".Meanwhile, Sakura and Syaoran were out on another outing together.

"So…how do we go about this?"Shinji asked.

"We have to help her!No matter what the cost!"Meeko declared.

Makoto crossed his arms and leaned against the wall."It ain't gonna be easy ya know."

Akiko came up to Makoto and smiled."But we can do it right?"

Makoto blushed madly and nodded."Of course."

Meeko giggled, receiving a glare from her brother.She stuck out her tongue in response.Shinji and Akiko giggled at the rivalry.

Sakura and Syaoran sat in the quiet restaurant, ordering their meals and chatting.They hadn't really gotten a lot of time alone lately, so Syaoran decided to treat Sakura out to dinner.She was dressed gorgeously in a pink silk dress, that ran down her entire form, elegantly showing her body's curves.

Syaoran was dressed handsomely in a black tux, complete with bow and shoes.(Can't you imagine how kawaii he would look!!??)He smiled across at his love, and she smiled back.Everything was perfect, except…

Sakura sat straight, hearing the restaurant band play a familiar song.She looked over at Syaoran, who simply smirk.She opened her mouth in shock."How did you-This is our song." 

He nodded and stood up, offering his hand to her.She smiled and took it, and he led her to the dance floor.He gently wrapped his arms around her waist, and she wrapped one arm around his neck, the other slightly holding up her dress off the ground.The music played for the two, and they began to waltz.He led her across the dance floor, the rest of the people in the restaurant, staring in awe of the couple.Sakura was happy, and knowing that, Syaoran was happy as well.

Shinji and Meeko giggled as Akiko got Makoto to blush furiously because of her.Suddenly though, they felt a Clow Card. "Time to get into action!"Meeko said, jumping up.

"I'm with you."Shinji said, hugging her from behind.She blushed.

"Oh, you have to wear my new outfits!The first ones I actually made!"She pulled out an outfit, and Makoto's eyes widened. 

"That looks like…"

"Dad's outfit!"Meeko finished, giggling.It was too, another Li family robe, just Makoto's size.

"I thought you would look so kawaii in green!"She giggled.She pulled out another outfit, same colors, but it was a skirt and other adjustments for Meeko.Meeko sweat dropped.How does she do it?

The four children ran to where they felt the disturbance.It was originating from the park.Meeko and Makoto got there just in time, when a giant snake's head, snaps at them from the side.Meeko screams and calls out her card."Fly!"Wings grow out of her back, and she takes to the air.

Makoto acts fast as well."Jump!"He jumps in the air, and lands on one of the nearby trees' branches.

Shinji flies over to Meeko."Daijoudu? 

Meeko nodded, but looked down in horror at the scene before her.There in the middle of the forest clearing… was a three-headed snake!It was huge and looked at the card captors with menacing yellow eyes.

One of the heads aimed at Shinji, then other at Meeko.Shinji saw it coming. "Look out!"He grabbed Meeko and spun to the side, the two heads rammed into each other, but growled at their prey, unfazed by the blow.

The third head was looking at Akiko, and opening its mouth.Akiko stood her ground, holding her staff in front of her.It made ready to strike.

_Not if I can help it._Makoto thought. "Dash!"He moved with lightning speed over to Akiko's side."Loop!"The snake's mouse cam down, but didn't hit the two kids, instead, it was thrown around, until it accidentally closed its mouth around another of its heads.

The head began to fight one another, until a loud shriek rang out."Darker than night, I hunt my prey, hold tight the enemy, it will not go astray!"A black swirl of magic came out of nowhere and surrounded the creature.It also blasted Meeko and Shinji out of the sky.

Akiko called out."Power!"Meeko and Shinji fell, but Akiko caught them, easily holding both of them with her Clow Cards' power strength.She grinned as she set her two shocked friends, nicely to the ground.

The snake creature struggled against the bonds that held it.Out of the shadows, the magician behind the spell stepped into view…

"Hitori!"Meeko exclaimed.

"Hitori" laughed, her voice combined with another darker, more evil tone."I am no longer Hitori!I am the demon that was sealed away for ages.I have now been released and will destroy you and your parents, before any of you can stop me!"

Shinji growled."We'll see about that!"He took out his staff and card."Thunder!"His attack came from each end of his staff, striking "Hitori" out of the tree.

She immediately recovered and landed on her feet."You fools!"With her concentration lost, the spell on the snake was lost and it regained mobility.It targeted the closest child and struck.

"MEEKO!!!!"Shinji yelled as the one head closed its mouth around her and reared up again.Shinji clenched his staff, trying to regain control…but loosing it…

"Meeko…" Makoto gaped in shock…his other half…his twin…was gone?

_Get me outta here!_

Makoto blinked in surprise."She's alive!The rotten creature hasn't swallowed her yet!"He took out his sword."Give her back now!"

"Hitori" laughed."You'll never get her out!"

Shinji narrowed his eyes, his cold stare making Akiko step back in surprise.He took out his cards…"Sword!"His staff was surrounded by a dark blue swirl, then his staff transformed into the Sword Card.He wielded it and growled.

Taking to the air, he deftly dodged the numerous strikes the three-headed viper delivered.He flew in at the one that held Meeko, and dodged once more before coming to his neck and slicing down hard with his sword.The head fell to the ground, and opened.

Breathing heavily, Meeko crawled out and collapsed to the ground.Shinji immediately flew down and bent down by her side."Are you…"

"I'm fine."She told him.She looked at her brother and winked."Thanks."

He shrugged."No problem."

She slowly got up and wrinkled her nose."Hasn't that snake ever heard of a toothbrush??"She smelled horrible from being inside the creature's mouth."When I get home, I'm taking a show-…" She was cut off by water being dumped on her.She looked up and saw The Rain, smiling gleefully as it drenched her with its element.She turned to her brother."I didn't mean now."

He smiled and laughed. "Payback."

She glared at him, but sighed in defeat.

Akiko screamed and made everyone turn back towards the snake.The headless snake wiggled until… to the astonishment of everyone present, it regenerated itself.This time though, there were two heads, where one was before.

"N- Nani?"Meeko managed.

The snake hissed in bemusement and glared at the four Card Captors.

"Move!"Meeko cried.She and Shinji took to the air, as Makoto and Akiko jumped to either side.Each head targeted a different child.

Akiko held her staff ready._How can I defeat it when its mouth is so big!?_Then it hit her.She pulled out a card."Silent!"

Instantly, the creature's mouth closed with a loud snap, and it thrashed around as if trying to get off the invisible muzzle.Akiko smiled, but shrieked as the head came down, ramming her to the side, smacking her into a tree.She fell to the floor in a limp pile.

"Akiko!"Makoto cried.He used Jump to get to her side and knelt down to pick her up."No…" He said quietly.Another head came and made a dash for him.He turned and glared at it before calling out."Jump!"He jumped again, to the side, still holding Akiko's unconscious body in his arms.(A+M lovers that was for you!)

Meeko smirked and pulled out a card."Wave!"Out of her staff came a channel of water, it struck the snake, throwing it back into the one that attacked Makoto.Makoto looked up in gratitude.She winked and flew off to aide Shinji.

Shinji though, was doing fine.He struck the one that Akiko had muzzled with Windy, and the other with Thunder.They were dazed, but quickly regained composure and made ready to attack again.Shinji gasped."Don't they ever get tired??"

"Doesn't look like it…" Meeko said at his side.

He turned and grimaced."Any more ideas in that beautiful head of yours?"

She blushed."Um…" She stopped and pointed.The snake froze and began to disintegrate.

Shinji let out a "wooh hoo!" and hugged Meeko right there in midair. (S+M fans that was for you)The writer called it a night!"

"Clow Card!Return to thy true form!"A voice rang out.The card turned into its card form and began to float over to Shinji, but right then, it changed direction and floated over to…

"Hitori!"Makoto said and growled."That's our card!"

"Hitori" laughed."Oh well…it _was_ your card…It's mine now."She laughed and disappeared.

Makoto continue to glare where "Hitori" had disappeared.He looked down at Akiko, still unconscious, and backed up again."You will pay for this demon."

__

_ _

__


	18. Clone Trouble

The Second Generation 18

Hitori:Those pesky cardcaptors don't know whom they're messing with!They went after the Create Card and watched as the writer thought up a very evil looking three-headed dragon.I let the pipsqueaks do the fighting while I stood by and watched.A couple got knocked out, not that I care.It was fun to watch.The snake actually got its jaws on one of the pesky girlsand would've swallowed her too if her brother hadn't helped out with angel boy.*growl*I will take care of them yet…he-he… Just you wait!

Hitori stood in the middle of a clearing the same patch of forest from before, and smiled at her plan._Those kids don't stand a chance!_She cast her spell, and laughed before disappearing.

Sakura and Syaoran exited the restaurant.Sakura had a worried expression."It wasn't a fluke."She stated."There was a magical disturbance before.And I can feel more now."

Syaoran sighed and looked down at the floor, with his hands on his hips.Of course he had sense the disturbance before, but he hoped it was nothing.The kids were at home, so hopefully they weren't getting into any trouble.During the battle, both Sakura and Syaoran had felt it, but Syaoran didn't want to ruin their evening, so he told Sakura not to worry.He hoped it would blow over soon, and it did…until now.

"All right.We'll go check it out."He agreed._So much for a quiet evening…_

__Sakura nodded and took off to the car, followed by Syaoran.They drove home, and expected to find the kids there, but…

"Meeko!Makoto!"Sakura called when she ran through the door.

Kero came buzzing around the corner."They aren't here!"He said.

"What do you mean they're not here?"Syaoran frowned at the guardian beast.

Kero growled."They must've slipped out when I decided to take a nap!"

"Kero!"Sakura scolded."You were supposed to be watching them!"She ran up the stairs to change.

Syaoran glared at Kero."Nice going stuffed animal."Then he went up the stairs after her.

Kero sighed and crossed his little arms."I knew I shouldn't have had that second burrito."

Meeko and the others stayed at the forest, trying to most of their wounds healed, before trying to take the trip back home.Makoto hadn't said a word, and just held Akiko's unconscious body in his arms, her head now wrapped in bandages.It's a good thing Shinji thought to bring them with him.

Shinji himself had minor injuries, a couple cuts and scraps.Meeko had a nice gruesome gash on her arm from that darn snake.Shinji now put ointment on it and wrap it as well."There.That should keep out any infection."

Meeko blushed."Arigatou."

Shinji stuttered."It…uh…it was…n-no biggie."

Meeko turned to her brother."Don't worry.She will be fine."She assured him.

Makoto looked up, dried tears on his face."I should've been there to protect her."

"You did the best you could.That's all any of us could do."Shinji argued.

Makoto shook his head, not accepting it, and looked back down to Akiko.

"Meeko!Makoto!"A voice rang out.

Meeko shot to her feet."Mom!Dad!Over here!"

Out of the end of the forest came Sakura and Syaoran, Syaoran wearing his battle outfit, and Sakura in another battle outfit, Tomoyo had made her ahead of time.Why she wore it?She didn't know.Maybe it was just a habit now.This one was a frilled green dress that seemed to go with Syaoran's outfit as much as Meeko's did with Makoto's.

Speaking of which, when Syaoran saw what Makoto was wearing, his eyes went wide."Hey, that's…"

"Akiko's been hurt."Makoto cut off.

Sakura came forward and placed two hands on Akiko.Her hands glowed pink and she transferred the power into the small girl in Makoto's arms.Akiko moaned and slowly opened her eyes.She looked up and saw someone that made her smile."M-Makoto."

He smiled back and hugged her gently."You're okay."

Meeko smiled at the two and Shinji came up behind her to hug her from behind.Syaoran smirked at the scene.It was kind of cute to see them like this.

Kero popped out of Sakura's pocket and flew into the air."You ran away from the house to play lovey dovey??"

Meeko frowned. "We went after the Create Card."

Sakura got up from besides Makoto and Akiko, as Makoto slowly stood Akiko on her feet."What happened?"

Shinji grimaced."Well, whoever had it had a pretty good imagination."

Syaoran crossed him arms and smiled."A dragon?"

Makoto snorted."I wish."He turned to his father."Try a three-headed viper snake!"

Sakura gasped."Are you all okay?"

Meeko showed her arm."Those of us who didn't get eaten."

Syaoran came up and slowly healed the wound, like Sakura had done with Akiko, except green energy healed her wound."You guys should've had Kero come with you."

Makoto laughed."Yeah right.He would've been the viper's first meal."

Kero growled."I would've shown you some of my best fighting moves."Kero started punching in midair."Left jab!Right Jab!"

Syaoran rolled his eyes."So where is it?"

Meeko grimaced this time."We don't have it."

Kero stopped."What do you mean you don't have it?"

Akiko hugged her arms to keep warm."Hitori came and took it."

Sakura gasped."The demon child?"

Meeko growled."She's not a demon child!She's our friend and if you guys don't think she can be saved I will save her!"With that she ran off, deeper into the forest.

Shinji made ready to go after her, but a hand stopped him.He turned to see Makoto."I'll get her."Her brother said."There are some things a brother can do that a…boyfriend can't."And with that, he followed his twin into the forest.

Shinji stayed behind and blushed._Are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?_Maybe guys just don't get these things quickly like some people do.^_^

Meeko ran into the forest, never stopped to look back.How could they have such little faith?It wasn't Hitori's fault that what had happened to her happened.Her mother, no her creator, had done it to her, and Meeko didn't care about what the others thought, she would save their friend, and get her back to normal.

Meeko suddenly couldn't run any more and collapsed to her knees, panting hard.

"Meeko!"Her brother's voice came from behind her.He came up quickly, obviously using the Dash Card to follow her.

Meeko sighed."Stupid Dash Card."

Makoto was at her side the next second."Come on.You okay?"

Meeko snorted.'How can they think of her like that?"

Makoto kneeled at her side and put a hand to her shoulder."She isn't who you remember as your friend.She's not herself…not in control of herself anymore."

"Does that mean we have to think of her as a horrible monster?"

"Well…" Makoto thought about it."I guess it's not her I hate, but the demon.That's who we should focus on destroying, ne?"

Meeko smiled and nodded."Hai."

"Now come on, let's get back to the others."Makoto proposed.

Meeko nodded and got up, but froze as she got to her feet.Out of the deep forest ahead of them, came a soothing sound.It sounded like a person singing, to them…calling them.Meeko and Makoto looked in that direction, and closed their eyes, entranced.When they opened them, they were glazed over.They began to walk blindly towards the sound.

Back at the battle sight, Syaoran paced back and forth."I think I should go after them now."

Sakura smiled and sighed."Don't worry.Just give them some time."

Off to the side, Akiko and Shinji stared into the forest where Meeko and Makoto had disappeared."I don't like this feeling.What's taking them so long?"

Shinji frowned."I don't know Akiko.I just don't know."

Meeko and Makoto walked slowly deeper into the forest, until they came to a small house, or cottage in the center of a clearing.They walked towards it, and the door to the cottage flew open, allowing the two children to walk into it.

Once inside, the two blinked their eyes and looked around.Their eyes were back to normal."Where are we?"Meeko asked.

Makoto frowned."Not a clue."Then at the far end of the room, they saw a large mirror that seemed to be pulsing with power."What's that?"He pointed and Meeko turned.

They both walked up to it, and it began to glow.Meeko knew they should've been afraid, but her curiosity drove her closer to the mirror, until both she and Makoto were side by side before the magical object.

Its surface swirled with pink and green energy, until two shadows formed in it.Meeko's hand came forward, as did Makoto's.The shadows seemed to smile and meet the hand with their own.

As the children's hand met the shadows, flesh hit…flesh?Meeko gasped and stepped back, a long with Makoto as the two forms…stepped_ out_ of the mirror!They smirked and withdrew their weapons.Meeko's eyes went wide and she let out a scream.

Meeko's scream echoed through the forests, alerting their friends and family."Meeko!"Shinji cried and ran head first into the forest where they had gone before.Akiko ran after them, Kero above her.Sakura and Syaoran unsheathed their weapons and ran after them.

They came to the clearing as saw the house warp and disappear, leaving Meeko and Makoto in the open, facing the shadows, which now had form and identity, though not their own.

Sakura gasped at the sight, and Syaoran shook his head in disbelief.Kero though, opened his mouth in shock."It's…it's…"

"That's me!"Sakura cried pointing to one of the figures.It was dressed in a pink dress with lots of frills, and it covered a black shirt.Pink and black ears and tail came out of the head and back.It held a wand with a pink bird with white wings.It was Sakura…as she looked when she was ten!

Syaoran pointed to the other shadow."Then that's me."It was true, the other figure had a green Li battle robe on, and it too wielded the Li Clan sword.It had dark amber eyes and dark brown locks covering part of its face.The shadow had taken the form of Syaoran, as he was when he first came to Japan at the age of ten as well!

The two shadows stood face to face with the second generation."Syaoran" swiped with its sword, causing Meeko and Makoto to roll or back flip out of the way.

Shinji was in shock."No way!"

Suddenly, laughter filled the air, and Hitori materialized off to the side."Do you like my idea?Parents fighting the children.Thanks to the Create Card, I don't have to lift a finger to destroy you brats.My clones will do it for me."

Syaoran growled and held out his sword in a defensive position."Not today!"He charged at Hitori.

"Sword!"Sakura called out sword and went after Hitori as well.

This started the battle.Shinji aided Meeko against "Sakura".While Makoto and Akiko attempted to go after "Syaoran".Of course, even at the ten, Sakura and Syaoran were awesome fighters, giving their children the fight of their lives.

Makoto slashed at "Syaoran", his sword only meeting steel."Syaoran" pressed against the sword, driving Makoto back, causing him to fall to the ground."Syaoran" raised his sword for another attack, when suddenly…

"Power!""Syaoran" cried out in pain as he was unceremoniously, lifted off the ground and thrown across the clearing.Behind him, Akiko smirked and gave Makoto a hand up.

"Arigatou."He said.

She winked, causing him to blush, and turned back towards their enemy.

Shinji on the other hand, had a problem fighting "Sakura".He never thought he'd be hitting a girl, for any reason.So Meeko went after her, attempting to slash at her with her wand."Sakura" simply blocked it with her own wand, then backhanded Meeko across the face, sending her reeling to the ground.

That was all Shinji needed to join the fight.He pulled out his sword and charged in after her."Sakura" smirked and called forth Sword.Shinji sliced down at her, back she blocked it with her sword.He pushed down on her, and then whipped out his leg to trip her.She went down hard, but immediately called out Fly.She went into the air.

Shinji helped Meeko up off the ground, who growled and called out her own Fly, then flew after "Sakura".Meeko narrowed her eyes at the clone."This ends now!"She pulled out a card."Arrow!!"Arrow's pink aura surrounded her and when Shinji looked at her, she had in her hands, a bow and arrow!

"Sakura" opened her mouth in shock, and got into a ready stance.Meeko smirked and held the arrow out in front of her, already a master of how to use it.She fired one arrow, which in mid air, split into a dozen, all aimed at the clone.

"Sakura" threw forward a card."Shield!"Shield went around her, blocking off the attack.Meeko gasped.This was going to be tough.

Sakura and Syaoran, meanwhile, were attacking Hitori relentlessly, but no matter what they attacked with, she always deflected it.Hitori crossed blocked both Sakura's and Syaoran's sword slashes with her sword and a large staff.She threw them both back and round-housed them.

Sakura back flipped out of the way, and Syaoran ducked, and then jumped to her other side.Hitori smirked, but then attacked Syaoran with a knee to his *cough* and then whipped the same leg back to kick Sakura in the stomach.

Both doubled over, and Hitori took this opportunity to aim one of her magic ball attacks at Sakura.Sakura didn't see it coming, and it sent her into a tree.Syaoran recovered and held up his sword."Force know my plight.Release the light.Lightning!"His lightning attack struck Hitori in the back, but only caused her to stumble forward.

She turned around to face him and growled."You will pay for this!Your children will not survive!"With that, she laughed and disappeared.

Syaoran ran to Sakura's side and both looked towards their children.Makoto and Akiko attacked "Syaoran" from both sides, but he either dodged or blocked both.The clone then kicked Makoto in the stomach, causing him to double over and fall to the ground.He then lashed out a hand to Akiko's throat and slowly lifted her up off the ground.

Akiko gagged and gasped for air.Makoto glared at the clone, and tripped him from underneath, causing him to release Akiko, who sank to her knees.

Meeko and Shinji were in a battle of their own above them all.Shinji attacked with Thunder, and "Sakura" did the same.The blasts hit each other and exploded, sending both sides reeling in the air.Shinji caught Meeko and steadied her.The clone growled and sent out a card of her own."Storm!"

Storm was released and turned into a cyclone.It sucked in Meeko and Shinji spinning them around inside.Meeko screamed."Shinji!!!"

Shinji fought to open his eyes and find her.He finally spotted her and when they passed each other in the cyclone again, he caught her hand and pulled her to him.He held her tight, not wanted to let go, and wrapped his wings around her to shield her from the debris that had also been caught up in the storm.

Several twigs and rocks struck Shinji, cutting into him.He and Meeko continued to be blown around until they were thrown out of the cyclone and slammed into the ground, Shinji cushioning their fall.

Sakura and Syaoran looked on worriedly, wondering what they could do.At that point, Kero came by the two parents.Syaoran looked at him."Why haven't you transformed you plush toy?!"He yelled.

Kero growled."Don't you think I've tried?That witch placed some kind of magical barrier here, I can't transform!"

Sakura turned towards the battle."We have to help them some how!"

Syaoran got an idea. "We can help them…if we fight for them."

Sakura frowned."I think that witch hit you a little too hard "down south" because your brain seems to be scrambled."

Syaoran rolled his eyes."Just listen up, sweet heart.Remember when the demon took over Hitori's body?Why can't we do the same?"

Sakura gasped."And fight the clones by ourselves!All right!"Then they turned towards the battle and closed their eyes.

Kero flew up and tried to stop them.Do you know how tired you'll be?You can't do this!"

"Try and stop us, fur ball."Syaoran said before starting the spell.Sakura did the same and Kero watched in amazement as both parents glowed with their auras.Their bodies started to disintegrate and soon disappear into the wind.

Meeko and Makoto were laying side-by-side Shinji and Akiko.All warn out from the fight.The clones closed in on them, weapons raised.Suddenly, Meeko heard her mother's voice in her head."Let me in…let me fight for you…"

Makoto heard his father's voice."We can defeat them, lend us your bodies."

Both children let in the spirits inside them, and began to glow with strange auras.Makoto was surrounded by a green and blue aura, Meeko with a pink and red one.

Shinji pulled Akiko back, as Meeko and Makoto stood up, and opened their eyes.Their eyes were white, combined with their parents' spirits', they were ten times as powerful.

The clones seemed afraid of this, and took a couple of steps back.Meeko let out a cry, but her voice was different…half hers and half her mothers.She attacked the "Sakura" clone with ferociousness.Makoto threw his sword forward and attacked the "Syaoran" clone with a lightning attack.

Sakura, inside Meeko, called out the Sakura Card Fight, and attacked her clone with powerful blows to the legs and chest.The clone defended her self well, but this was the Clow Card Mistress, not some amateur.Meeko struck the clone with a roundhouse to the chest, then a knee to the stomach, and whipped out her leg to trip her.

Makoto formed incantation cards in his hand and threw them at the "Syaoran" clone.One landed on its face, and exploded.Makoto smirked and ran after the clone, coming down hard with his sword.The clone barely had time to look up and block the blow.It threw its hand forward, striking Makoto with a magical sphere attack to his stomach, throwing him back.

Shinji and Akiko looked on in horror and awe, along with Kero.How long could this go on?

Meeko tried a high kick to the clone head, but the clone caught it and elbowed Meeko in the stomach with such strength, Meeko went flying, landing besides Makoto.

Makoto helped her up."We have to end this now."His voice part his father's, part his own.

Meeko nodded and pulled out another Sakura Card."Sword!"Her wand turned into a sword and she narrowed her eyes at the advancing clones.

Makoto took out his sword too."Remember the Twin Card?"He asked.

Meeko nodded."Let's do it!" 

They ran at the clones simultaneously, striking the duo with renewed strength.The clones blocked and countered with their own attacks.The battle continued until the clones received a devastating blow to the chest that sent them into a tree, where they slumped to the ground.

Meeko and Makoto raised their swords, and plunged them into the clones' chest.The clones cried out in agony, then vanished.Meeko and Makoto then closed their eyes and their parents spirits separated from them, rematerializing a little ways away.Then both children and parents collapsed.

Shinji and Akiko ran to their friends, while Kero went to aide Sakura and Syaoran. 

"Sakura!Syaoran!"A voice rang out.

Shinji turned to see his parents flying into the forest from up above."Down here!"He called out.

Both Ruby Moon and Yue flew down to the group, gasping as they saw Sakura and Syaoran sprawled out on the floor.They flew to them and picked them up.

"What happened?"Yue said.

Kero snorted."Long story."

Ruby Moon sighed with relief."Well, let's get you home."

Shinji nodded and carried Meeko in his arms, while Akiko carried Makoto, using Power, and the two followed Ruby Moon and Yue out of the forest and away from another adventure.What would the future hold now that Hitori was their enemy?No longer their friend who used to help them, but now bent on destroying them?Shinji didn't know, but what he did know was that he was going to be there from now on to always protect Meeko.No matter what.


	19. Natural Disasters

The Second Generation 19

Akiko: Last time, Hitori used Create against us.Shinji: She lured Meeko and Makoto into the forest after Sakura and Syaoran came to see if we needed help.Akiko: We heard Meeko scream and all of us went to go see if she was all right.Shinji: It appears Hitori used the Create Card to make clones of Sakura and Syaoran as they appeared as kids! Akiko: We tried to fight the clones, but they were too much.Shinji: After fending off Hitori, Sakura and Syaoran, against Kero's wishes, went into Meeko and Makoto, somewhat possessing them.Akiko: They fought so well, Makoto doing all those moves! *giggles*Shinji: That was Syaoran fighting. Akiko: Well he still looked good doing it!Shinji: *chuckles* Anyway, they were able to defeat the clones and later separated, only to be carried away by me, Akiko, and my parents, who showed up at the last minute.Akiko: Let's just hope our friends rest enough to get restored.

Meeko groaned and slowly opened her eyes, looking around, and found herself back at home."Welcome back, Meeko-san."Meeko turned her head and saw Suppi floating above the bed, with a hungry Kero eating some food off of a plate to the side of the bed."You've been out for sometime."Suppi explained.

Kero turned around after stuffing his face with another pizza bagel, and smiled."Nice to see you're awake."

Meeko slowly sat up, but felt dizzy, and fell back down to the pillow again.

"You shouldn't try to get up."Meeko saw Nakuru enter her room."You've been through quite a lot and need to rest."She came in with some glasses of water, and set them aside.She glanced at the plate that once had the snacks on it."I see someone has eaten the food for you."She looked to Kero, who gave an innocent grin and hid behind Suppi, who sighed anime style.

"What day is it?"Meeko asked weakly.

"Wednesday."Nakuru said."You've been out for a few days."

Meeko frowned."Makoto, mom, dad…where…?"

Nakuru smiled."Makoto is still asleep above you."She motioned to the bunk bed above Meeko."And your parents are being cared for by Yukito.They too were passed out when we found you."

Meeko nodded."Shinji?Akiko?"

"Both are at school and will be here shortly after.We made stories for why you have been out."Nakuru explained.She took the empty tray of food and started out."You needn't worry about anything.Just rest."

Meeko closed her eyes, and was fast asleep again.Nakuru nodded to Suppi, who obediently followed her out, leaving Kero behind.Suddenly though, Nakuru's hand came back and yanked Kero out of the room with a yelp.

Yukito set two wet clothes on Sakura and Syaoran's foreheads.They were still recovering from the drastic measures they took in possessing their children, in order to save them from their clones.Yukito now knew of his other half, and was beginning to remember things that happened as he was Yue.What he saw yesterday scared him, to think he could lose his best friends to such a strong force.

Yukito sighed and stood up from his spot on the bed, and headed out.He closed the door quietly behind him, and met Nakuru in the hallway."How are they?"

Nakuru smiled."They are fine.Meeko awoke, but was asleep when I left."

Yukito nodded."That's good.It was a close call for all involved."

"They should not have tried such a stunt."Suppi commented.

Kero snorted."Try telling them that.They are both stubborn!"

Yukito glanced at the empty try…then at Kero."A little hungry?"

Kero smiled meekly."Just a tad."

Nakuru giggled."Yeah like a tad_pole _turning into a frog!No wonder Sakura nicknamed you Kero."(Kero = ribbit)

Yukito laughed."Don't worry, I can sympathize.Let's go downstairs for something to eat, ne?"

Kero nodded happily and he and Yukito were downstairs in a flash.Nakuru and Suppi just shook their heads."Getting those two together is a bad idea."Suppi said.

Nakuru nodded."Just means more grocery shopping to do later."Both Nakuru and Suppi sighed, before following the two downstairs.

Meeko stirred in her sleep.Something was wrong out there.She didn't know what it was, but it was calling her.She didn't remember having this dream before…she was somewhere close by home.There were trees, but it wasn't the park.She heard duck calls, and followed the sound until she reached a lake.

Meeko frowned and looked around, seeing if there was anything that might have called her here.Seeing nothing, Meeko slowly inched her way closer to the lakes edge.She leaned in and looked into the water.

Suddenly, she heard a rumbling, and backed away with a gasp.The seemingly calm, clear water before her became opaque, and shot into the air.The water twisted until it began to take shape.Two arms and pointed ears were formed.It was Watery!

Meeko fumbled in surprise for her key, but Watery smirked and shot a stream of water after here.Meeko looked up and screamed.

Meeko shot up in bed and was breathing heavily.Something frightened her about that dream.Was it the future?Was she destined to capture the Watery Card?Meeko looked at the clock, and saw it was almost time for school to be let out.If Shinji were to find out about her dream, he would try to stop her, for fear of her getting hurt.Meeko made a decision.She got up on wobbly, unsteady legs, and made her way to the closet.

Careful not to make a sound, and wake Makoto, she pulled out a sweater and grabbed her cards from the desk.She silently called out Fly and stood at the window.Taking a deep breath, and took off towards her calling.

Shinji and Akiko walked to their friends' house after school.Everyone was worried for the twins and asked a lot of questions that Shinji and Akiko had had to make up stories for.Shinji wouldn't lie.He was worried for Meeko.Having her do such a spell with her parents was dangerous!He blamed himself for not being strong enough to help her.He was supposed to protect her, and yet she got hurt anyway.Well no more.Shinji had made a secret pact that he would always be there to protect Meeko when she needed him.

"You okay?"Akiko asked.

Shinji shook his head and turned to the girl besides him."Fine, why?"

"I can tell something's bothering you."She admitted.

Shinji frowned."How?"

Akiko giggled."Really, Shinji.You are so easy to read."

Shinji's frown deepened."Okay, little sorceress…what's wrong with me?"

Akiko stopped walking and turned to the child angel."You blame yourself for Meeko's injuries yesterday.You plan to try and be there for her every day.The fact is you can't…and she will get hurt."

Shinji growled and kicked a stone."But I-"

"You may have obligations…but you are not a god.You can't perform miracles."

"After yesterday...seeing her like that…" Shinji sighed. 

Akiko walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder."I know…I feel the same way…I want to help Makoto."Akiko laughs shortly."But he is so headstrong, I'd need to combine Meeko's powers with Shield to protect him all the time."

Shinji smiled."True."He conceded.

"All we can do is try our best and be there for them when we can."

Shinji nodded, but stopped and looked skyward.Were his eyes deceiving him??Or did he see Meeko flying across the sky, when she was supposed to be resting?!!He pointed frantically, and Akiko's eyes widened."She wouldn't."

Shinji growled and threw down his backpack, and his wings emerged."Maybe being head strong runs in the family!"He shouted before taking to the sky after her.

Akiko grabbed the backpack, and started at a dead run to the house. Shinji's parents would want to hear about this.

Sakura and Syaoran were in a dilemma of their own.Though appearing to be in a graceful slumber, the veteran cardcaptors were plagued by nightmares.

Syaoran held Sakura's hand as they observed their surroundings.There really wasn't much to see…just darkness…the silence bothered Sakura."Where are we?"

Syaoran shook his head."No idea."

"You are in my realm now, Card Captors."A dark voice echoed in the darkness.

Syaoran held Sakura close."Who's there?!"

"So eager to meet me I see?"The voice laughed. "In time.In time I will destroy you and get the Sakura Cards for myself!"

Sakura gasped."Never!"

"You think so huh?Well we will see…you may not be capturing Clow Cards anymore, but I will hunt you down for your powers…it will all be mine!"

The darkness seemed to swallow them up, and both adults felt something they hadn't felt in years…

Fear.

Meeko landed softly on the ground, keeping her wings out just in case.She had her wand out and looks around.Everything was like her dream.The ducks were in the middle of the lake, other creatures going about their business.As much as she enjoyed the setting, her magical senses were going off like crazy.Something was out there…in the lake…and it was making her feel very uneasy.

Meeko heard rumbling coming from the lake, and walked slowly closer.She peered down in the water…and saw it turn opaque.She backed up as the rumbling got louder.She knew what it was before it even broke the surface.

The water shot into the air and turned into its visible form.Meeko's eyes went wide as it towered before her.She opened her mouth to scream, as Watery smirked and fired a blast of water at her.

Meeko's body froze and she found herself unable to move from the attack.Just when the blast was about to hit her, strong arms heaved her off the ground and into the air.She looked up at see."Shinji!"

Shinji looked down and smiled."You got a death wish?"

Meeko blushed."Gomen…I knew if I waited for you, you would've tried to stop me."

"You darn right I would have.I care too much about you to let you get hurt…not when I can stop it."Shinji caught what he said and blushed furiously.He gently let Meeko go and they floated above the lake, both a cherry red.

Meeko smiled."A-arigato."

Shinji fought his face turning red."N-no p-problem."Watery got angry at being ignored and began to spin wildly.Shinji turned his attention to the Clow Card, as did Meeko and watched it as it started to form a waterspout…and it was heading right for…

"Look out!"Meeko said, diving to the side.Shinji dove to the other side and spun wildly to avoid Watery's other sideways attacks.

Meeko was having similar problems.Blasts of water were aimed at her, making her juke and weave this way and that."First a tornado, now a waterspout!I really hate these natural disasters!!!"

Watery spun faster and faster, causing the helpless ducks and animals to get sucked into the wild twister.Meeko saw it and gasped."Iie!"_All those helpless creatures…_

__What was she going to do??

Makoto heard his sister's cry._Iie!_

__Almost immediately, he shot up in bed, just in time to have Akiko running into his room."Meeko!"Was all she said.

Makoto was out of bed and out the door, joined by Yue, whom Akiko had told first, and they all went out the door, Makoto fighting his queasiness and shaky legs, followed them out.Leaving Sakura and Syaoran in the bedroom.

Meeko dodged another blast and saw Shinji doing the same. She remembered some of the videos she watched from her Aunt Tomoyo."We have to get it out of the water!"

Shinji nodded and pointed to shore.Meeko nodded back and took out a card."Arrow!"The familiar bow and arrow appeared in her arms, and she aimed it at Watery.

Watery split into several pieces, and the waterspout fell to the lake once again.

Meeko knew she didn't have much time, so she and Shinji made a fly towards shore.Watery formed again on the surface, and moved after the duo with unnatural speed…but then again, this was magic.

Once on shore, Shinji spun around and pulled out a card."Windy!"He hit it with his staff, which he had pulled out before, and released the gentle elemental card.

Because she was out of the lake, Watery began to freeze, and so tried to escape back to refuge.Meeko thought quickly and threw her hands forward, making a shield around Watery.Trapped, Watery began to freeze under Windy's barrages.Loosing her strength, Shinji came by and wrapped his arms around her, adding his power for her to hold the shield, and preventing her from falling.

Once frozen, Meeko released the shield, taking a few deep breaths, and raising her wand to the giant frozen Clow Card."Clow Card!Return to the shape you were meant to be!"Watery shook and dissolved into a mighty wind, turning into a Clow Card in front of Meeko.Shinji supported her and lowered them to the ground, where he picked her up in his arms and turned to see Makoto and Akiko with Yue above them coming their way.

"What happened!?"Makoto demanded, his eyes locked on his sister's recovering form in the youth's arms.

"We captured the Watery.She's just a little tired."Shinji explained.

Yue nodded."Let's get you home."

The four left the lake, and headed home.Hopefully to get a chance to rest up before the next adventure.


	20. Deceptions

The Second Generation Cardcaptors 20

Meeko: Last time, I was trying to recover from being fuse with my mother's spirit, when I had a strange dream.Following my instinct I flew out the window and went to the lake.There I confronted the Watery card.Shinji showed up, since he saw me going there.Together he and I captured the Watery, and resulted in only minor injuries to me and Shinji.Mom and Dad on the other hand were having bad dreams of their own.I hope nothing bad happens to them.We already have our hands full.

Madoushi stared at the large book in front of her, the same one she had used to release the demon before.Now, the demon, in Hitori's body, stood on the other side of the book, ready to perform the spell.Madoushi smiled."This will put an end to those brats."

"I am ready."Hitori replied, though in the demon's voice.

Madoushi nodded and began to chant in some foreign language.Soon, Hitori joined in and they held their hands above their head, a red and blue light forming in the middle of the room.The light grew more intense, and then seemed to explode.

Hitori laughed."Good luck, cardcaptors…for evil is upon you."

Sakura stood in the kitchen, feeling uneasy.She washed the dishes to try and calm her nerves.What was bothering her?Was it that dream?What could be after them?After all her years of cardcaptoring, with Syaoran by her side, they had always been able to overcome any feat.So why was she worried at all?

_Expect the unexpected_.

Kero's age old saying echoed in her mind.Something was coming…she could feel it.She had to find out what.

Throwing down her apron, she turned and made ready to leave the house.

"Whoa, where you going?"She turned and saw Syaoran coming from the bedroom, smiling at her.

"I have a bad feeling."She said.

Syaoran's smile faded."You sure?"

She pulled a jacket out of the closet."You doubt me?"Then she ran out of the house.

Syaoran ran to the closet, pulled a jacket of his own."I'm coming with you!"

Then the two adults jumped into the car and drove away.

Shinji, along with Akiko and the twins, sat upstairs, trying to get through the day's new assignments of homework.Meeko growled."Since when does the angle of a triangle really matter to anything!?"

Shinji laughed."It's really not that hard.You just use what they give you…then subtract it from 180…that give you the final angle."

Meeko blushed."Oh, um…thanks."_Baka me!He probably thinks you are an idiot!_

__"No problem."He said."It took me a while to get it too.You'll get the hang of it."He winked and she smiled brightly.

Makoto and Akiko were trying to focus on Science, but something was bothering Akiko."What's up?"Makoto looked up at her.

She startled and looked up as well."W-why do you ask that?"

Makoto frowned."Because you haven't said a word for the last fifteen minutes."He replied."The Akiko I know is always talking her heart out."

Akiko put on a smile."I guess I'm a little tired."She really didn't want to tell Makoto what she was feeling, until she as sure.It felt like a Clow Card…but mixed and disoriented.

Makoto didn't buy it."You sensing something?"

Hearing this, Shinji and Meeko turned around too."Akiko?"Shinji asked.

Akiko sighed in defeat."I guess I do.It's a Clow Card…but it gives off a strange aura."She replied.

Meeko closed her eyes and also frowned."She's right…demo, there are two Clow Cards."

Shinji got up."Let's go and get them, before they cause some real trouble."

Everyone agreed and ran down stairs."Where are mom and dad?"Meeko asked.

"They probably went out to the store.I heard the car leave earlier."Her brother replied.

Meeko nodded."Okay.Shinji and I will track down one card.Oniichan, you and your girlfriend get the other one."Shinji and Meeko ran outside before Makoto could deny her use of the word girlfriend.

He looked to Akiko and saw she was blushing._Why is she blushing?Does she like me too?_"A-are you okay?"

Akiko smiled and nodded."Very, now let's go!"She grabbed his hand and they ran out of the house.

Shinji and Meeko followed their sense until they came to a bridge."It's around here somewhere."Meeko said.

Shinji nodded and took out his staff.Meeko got out her key."Key of Clow, bestowed by right.Surrender the wand, surrender the light.Release!"She was surrounded by wind that twirled around her.

Shinji watched in amazement as her aura glowed brightly._She is so beautiful when she does that._He told himself.

When she was done, she held her staff with two hands and looked around."Clow Card!Show yourself!"Suddenly, as if in answer to her challenge, their environment warped and they soon found themselves in a cemetery."What in the world?"Meeko looked around."How'd we get here?"

Shinji narrowed his eyes."It was the Clow Card who transported us here."He concluded.

Meeko screamed as a swarm of bats flew their way in the sky."Of all the rotten…"

"Run!"Shinji grabbed her hand and the started running away…the bats were gaining speed.

Akiko and Makoto ran until they were in the outskirts of town."Why would a Clow Card be here?"Makoto asked.

Akiko took out her key and made it into her sun staff."It's the same strange feeling I had before."She said."Something's not right here."

Just then, what seemed out of nowhere, an old man walked by.He was dressed in rags and used a walking stick.Makoto and Akiko hid their weapons behind their backs as best as possible.

The old man approached Makoto slowly and unsteadily."Can you help me???"He asked in a crackly voice.

Makoto sweat dropped._This is all I need when I'm looking for a Clow Card._"S-sure…what do you need?"He asked as nicely as possible, receiving a sympathetic look from Akiko.

The old man smiled and suddenly used his stick to trip Makoto to the ground, his sword falling to his side, just out of reach.

"Makoto!"Akiko cried running at the old man.

The man whipped a leg out and caught Akiko in the stomach, making her fall to her knees.

Makoto threw his legs up and forward, landing on his feet, he dove for his sword, just as the man tried to chop Makoto in the neck!

_What is up with this man?_Makoto thought.He got his sword and flipped in the air to Akiko's side, giving her a hand up."Are you okay?"

She nodded and looked around."Where'd he go?"The man had disappeared.

Sakura and Syaoran drove around town, trying to pinpoint this feeling that now both of them were sensing.

"We have to find out what that dream meant."Syaoran said.

"What do you mean a dream?"A voice came from behind them.

Sakura turned and gasped."Kero!What are you doing here?I thought you were over at Yukito's with Suppi-chan."

Kero flew out of the bag he had been sleeping in and landed on his mistress' lap."Suppi ate all the food in the house, well I helped him, while Yukito and Nakuru were outside on a mushy…dare I say it?Date!"He grumbled."With no more food, I decided to take a nap.Since the genki here…"

"Hey fur ball, I can always stick you in the trunk!"Syaoran said.

"As I was saying!_Somebody_ left the window open to the car…I flew in a decided to take a nap."He finished…still glaring at Syaoran, who was driving the car.

"Well it's a good thing you're here."Sakura said, breaking the silence."Syaoran and I had a strange dream the other night.Someone wants the Sakura Cards, my powers, and Syaoran's."She explained.

Kero put a paw to his chin."Did you recognize the voice?"

Sakura shook her head."It was no one I'm familiar with.The aura felt…"

"Like that!"Syaoran shouted and brought the car to a screeching halt.Sakura turned and saw they were in front of Eriol and Tomoyo's house!Right in the middle what seemed to be a fierce battle.

"Tomoyo-chan!"Sakura jumped out of the car, grabbing her key."Key of Clow, Power of Magic, power of light.Surrender the wand, surrender the light!Release!"

Syaoran turned his key into a sword as well, and the two charged to their friends' side."Eriol!"Syaoran shouted as he saw his friend thrown into the air."Now!Element!Wind!"A whirl of wind wrapped around Eriol, bringing him safely to the ground.He collapsed unconscious.His clothes were torn in several places.

Sakura ran to Tomoyo's side."Are you alright!?What's going on!?"

Before Tomoyo could answer, the figure who had attacked Eriol seemed to appear out of thin air."I'll tell you what's going on.You are meeting your match."

Sakura and Syaoran gasped."You!" They shouted.It was the man from their dreams.

"Who else?"He replied with a smile.He wore black armor of some sort, and a black coat over it.His hands were covered with black gloves."I thought if I was going to defeat you…I was going to need some help."

Tomoyo cried."Iie!Onegai!" (No!Please!)

The figure laughed."Well…I will take what I wanted and leave now.Neither one of you will be able to stop me…when I have the reincarnation of Clow Reed on my side."He waved his hand and Eriol's unconscious body warped until it disappeared.

"Eriol-kun!"Tomoyo shouted and she dove to where his body once lay.

Sakura growled."Thunder!"She attacked the man, but he laughed and disappeared.

"Until next time, Clow Mistress."

Syaoran ran to Tomoyo and she cried on his shoulder."Eriol-kun."She repeated over and over again.

"We'll get him back!"Sakura said."We have to."

Syaoran rubbed Tomoyo's back."It'll be alright.I promise."But he knew it was a promise…he wasn't sure he could keep.

Meeko and Shinji ran until they took to the air.Meeko growled and turned around."I'm tired of running!"She grabbed out a card."Arrow!"A bow and arrow formed in her hands and she attacked the bats, scattering them.

Shinji took out his card."Thunder!"

Blue arrows and blue streaks of lightning filled the air, as the two cardcaptors tried to eliminate the flying rats.

Still more came.Meeko got an idea."Sleep!"Sleep dispelled and flew through the swarm until all the bats fell to the ground, fast asleep.

Meeko breathed in relief and flew to the ground, along with Shinji."What was that?"

Shinji narrowed his eyes and looked around."We don't have a cemetery anywhere near here."

Meeko frowned."Then where are we?"

Shinji's eyes grew wide and he grabbed his staff."Illusion Card!Show yourself in your true form!"

Just then, their surroundings once again warped and they were back on the bridge, but this time, Illusion floated above the surface of the water.

Shinji smiled."Return to thy true form!Clow Card!"Illusion was turned back into a card, and Shinji felt arms wrap around him on a warm hug.

"You did it!" Meeko said with joy.

He pulled away slightly, looking into her amber eyes."Iie. _We_ did it."She smiled and he leaned in to kiss her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Makoto and Akiko stood back to back, sensing the Clow Card again.

It attacked with lightning speed, this time appearing as a woman, dressed in a black kimono.Makoto blocked the attack with his sword, finding himself face to face with his teacher!Not Madoushi, but their new teacher...Terada sensei.The old Terada sensei's daughter.Her mother was Rika.

Makoto's eyes went wide. "This wasn't making any sense…unless."It has to be two cards!"He shouted as he pushed back against his teacher and tripped her, then back flipped to Akiko's side.

Akiko nodded and brought out her card."Power!"She felt Power's strength fill her.She ran at their teacher and hit her on the side of the head with her staff.

Terada sensei fell to the ground, and then glowed into two separate balls.One turned into the Change Card…the other the Fight Card.

Makoto and Akiko raised their sealing weapons together and shouted in one voice."Clow Card!Return to thy true form!"Change and Fight turned into card form and floated over to Makoto and Akiko.Akiko received Fight, and Makoto got Change.

"Yatta!"(Yay!)Akiko shouted and she and Makoto shared a high five."Let's go to my place and celebrate.

Makoto nodded."I'll tell Meeko."

_Meeko._

_We caught our card…you?_

_Yeah, it was actually two.Akiko and I are going to celebrate.Meet us at her house._

_Gotcha._

_ _

__When Meeko, Makoto, Shinji, and Akiko arrived at the mansion, they were surprised to find Tomoyo crying on Sakura's shoulder, her eyes poofy and red.Yue and Nakuru along with Kero, Suppi-chan, and Syaoran were all there too.

"Mommy?"Akiko ran to her mother's side."Mommy, what's wrong?"

Tomoyo tried to look strong, but buried her head in Sakura's shirt once again, not bearing to tell Akiko what happened.

Yue came up and placed a hand on Akiko."Your father has been kidnapped."

Akiko's eyes went wide."Iie!It's not true!It can't be!"

She wanted to cry, but didn't know how.Makoto came up and wrapped his arms around Akiko, giving her his support.She then broke down and cried into his chest.Makoto didn't mind, he held her close, letting her use him however she needed.

"Hey, hey.Don't worry.We'll get through this.We always do right?"Makoto said to comfort her.But Akiko just kept crying.Her whole world seemed to take a 180, right when she thought she had gotten used to the way things were.Fate was being very mean to her…how would she get over this?

Meeko held onto Shinji, and he wrapped his arm around her, comforting her too.Eriol was her uncle, in a sense.She felt she lost something too._Makoto…we have to get him back._

_I know…but how?_

_ _

__In a dark dungeon, Eriol awoke, chained to the wall.He coughed and groaned as his head felt like it had been split into two."Where am I?"He asked looked around.

He tried to call out his staff, but found his power useless.

"If you're trying to call upon your creator's powers…don't.I've made sure the Clow Reed side of you can not appear before I finish my task."A voice said. Eriol looked up to see the man who had attacked before, now entering the dungeon.

"What do you want?"Eriol asked.

"Isn't it obvious?I want you!"Before Eriol could do anything, the man threw his hands forward, sending a black and red beam at Eriol.

Eriol screamed out, as his veins seemed to be invaded by the evil magic.He fought all he could…but it was no use…he collapsed.

The man smiled and walked up."You will help me destroy the Clow Mistress and her protector, will you not?"

Eriol's head came up, and his blue bangs parted to reveal devilishly red glowing eyes."I will do whatever you command."

The man laughed and freed Eriol.Eriol in turn got on his hands and knees and bowed before the man."Clow Card mistress!You have met your doom!"He said smiling.Yes this would do nicely.

A/N: Talk about a twist, ne?Eriol is now bad.S+S have their own problems now.Evil attacks from both sides…against both parents and children.What will happen next?Wait and see!


	21. Lost In Darkness

The Second Generation 21

Tomoyo: Last time, the children split up to search for a couple of renegade Clow Cards.Meanwhile, Sakura-chan sensed something, so she and Syaoran left to find out what it was in their green Toyota (That was for you Wing Wing!)Makoto and Akiko encountered an interesting mix up of Fight and Change, thanks to Hitori and Madoushi's spell.Shinji and Meeko ran into Illusion and get a really good scare in a cemetery.As for Sakura and Syaoran, they came to my mansion, only to see Eriol… *sniff*… kidnapped by a sorcerer…*cries*…I hope they bring him back!

Meeko and the usual gang walked home from another boring day of school.Akiko sighed."I am so glad finals are over!"She exclaimed.She was still upset about her father being kidnapped, but Tomoyo had insisted on her still going to school…saying that Eriol would've wanted it that way.

Makoto put a reassuring hand on her shoulder."I'm sure you did fine."

Akiko blushed.

"Thanks to Shinji, I think I did okay on the Math final."Meeko said, playfully elbowing Shinji in the ribs.

Shinji squirmed."You did most of the work, I only helped you a little."He wrapped an arm around her and continued to walk ahead of Makoto and Akiko.

Akiko giggled and Makoto looked over to see her holding a video camera.He sweat dropped."Akiko…"

Meeko and Shinji turned around and saw Akiko zooming in with her lens."Akiko…" Meeko whined."I thought you were over that."

Akiko shook her head and kept recording."I may not be able to record your captures, because I'm in it, but I haven't stopped recording."She squealed."Oh you guys are so kawaii!"

Shinji smirked and leaned in to whisper in Meeko's ear.She giggled."Yeah well I think you and Makoto are more kawaii."She said with a wink.

Akiko gasped and blushed bright red.Makoto glared at his sister, but couldn't hide his blushing either._I have to stop blushing like this or she's going to find out I like her!_ Makoto thought, catching a look from Akiko, who turned her head away, just like Makoto had.Shinji and Meeko giggled.

The figure that had been to Tomoyo's house, had attacked Eriol and kidnapped him, then turned him back, that same person, sat on a thrown, with the reincarnation of Clow Reed, Eriol, bowed before him.The figure smirked."You will hunt down the cardcaptors and bring them to me."He commanded.

Eriol responded without lifting his head."Yes, Master Fushuku." (Fushuku = Revenge in Japanese)He lifted his head, and his eyes still glowed devilish red."I will bring you the ones you seek as a symbol of my loyalty."He stood up and bowed one last time before leaving the chambers.

Fushuku smirked."Getting revenge on the cardcaptors is going to be so sweet."

Sakura and Syaoran were over at Tomoyo's trying to calm the world famous fashion designer."We'll get him back.Don't cry."

Tomoyo was still having crying fits every now and then, whenever she thought of Eriol.Him being so strong with magic, and so experienced, Tomoyo knew he would come after them.Her, her daughter, everyone else he held dear, because he would be commanded to.Tomoyo didn't want to think she would have to see Eriol get hurt or even killed, because he wasn't in control of himself anymore.

Syaoran paced back and forth in front of the two ladies."There has to be a way of finding him."He said out loud.

Tomoyo looked up."How?You already tried the lasenboard.He could be dead anyway."She said pessimistically.

Sakura looked at her best friend in worry.Tomoyo was always so genki and happy, even as she grew up.Now, she was talking failure and giving up.Sakura didn't like it, not one bit."Listen, there has to be a way.Eriol-kun is strong, he'll be able to break free."She said, trying to cheer Tomoyo up.Sakura looked up at her husband."What about sensing for his aura?Combining our powers, we might be able to locate him."

Syaoran shook his head."He'd hide himself, just like he did when we first met him."He pointed out.

Sakura sighed.There had to be a solution.Suddenly, a familiar blue aura entered her sense.She saw Syaoran stiffen as he sensed it too.Tomoyo caught the looks. "You sense him don't you."She said.

Sakura looked to her friend, as was about to deny it, but saw violet pleading eyes looking back at her, and nodded in response.

Tomoyo stood up out of her friends embrace."Well, let's go get him then."

Syaoran held up a hand."Now wait a minute.We can't have you going with us."

Sakura nodded and stood up next to Syaoran."That's right.That guy might try to capture you too."

Tomoyo frowned."He's bound to come back here anyways, I'm no more in danger than I am with you."

Sakura smirked."He may know where you are, but you won't be defenseless."She went to her purse and pulled out her cell phone.She hit the speed dial for her home.The answering machine picked up."Kero, it's me, pick up the phone."

She heard a click and the guardian answered._ What's up Sakura?_

__"I need you to come to Tomoyo's house right away.Eriol's around and Syaoran and I are going after him.We need you to stay here and make sure no one comes after her."

_You got it.I'm on my way._He hung up and Sakura clicked her phone off.

"Kero will be coming to make sure nothing happens."Sakura said.

"Demo-…"

"You're not coming."Syaoran said sternly as he and Sakura opened the door to leave."You are our good friend.And this is for your good."

Tomoyo frowned."What do you mean?"

Sakura smirked and gasped as Kero came around the corner."I'm here."

"Good, get in there."Sakura told the little guardian.Kero flew in and Sakura took out a card."Lock!"

Tomoyo's eyes widened."Iie!"

"Now!"Sakura released Lock and trapped Tomoyo inside her house.

Syaoran sighed in relief as he and Sakura took off, ignoring the muffled screams Tomoyo made."Hopefully, that'll keep anything from getting in or out."

Sakura nodded and jumped in the car after Syaoran and they took off towards their sense.

Meeko and Shinji were laughing and joking, when Meeko stopped dead in her tracks.The others sensed it too."Key of Clow!" Meeko shouted.

The other three took out their weapons too.But it was too late.Green walls surrounded them and before they knew it, Maze had reared its ugly head and captured them.

"Nani!?"Makoto exclaimed. 

Akiko instinctively moved closer to Makoto."We're…we're in a maze."

"It's the Maze Card."Shinji said.

Meeko looked around."How do we capture it?"

Shinji turned to Makoto."We have to find the exit."

Meeko nodded."Let's go."Then the four set off to locate the exit.

Madoushi laughed as she watched in a magic bubble, the four pesky cardcaptors, get trapped in the maze."Get in here!"She bellowed.

Hitori came in, still possessed by the demon."You summoned me."She bowed before Madoushi.

"Yes.Those kids have had a run in with the Maze Card.I want you to go there and capture them once they come out."

Hitori nodded and stood up."So let it be said, so let it be done."Then she disappeared.

Sakura and Syaoran drove around until they felt Eriol's presence.He was at a familiar part of town, but Sakura couldn't place it.They got out of the car and immediately went on guard."Where is he?"Sakura wondered."I know he's here."

"So, my dear friends, come to hunt me down?"A voice said from above them.

Sakura and Syaoran turned and saw Eriol standing on top of one of the buildings.They gasped.His blue eyes glowed red."Eriol-kun."Sakura said in shock.

"Eriol!Are you alright?"Syaoran asked.

Eriol threw his head back and laughed."Like you would care!You wanna be Cardcaptors!"He sneered at them."You remember this place?It was where I would've had your dear Syaoran kill you!"

Sakura gasped and looked around.He was right!Right here…right where she was standing, was where Eriol had used his magic string to possess Syaoran when they were just kids!Syaoran had actually attacked Sakura against his will.

"What happened to you?"Syaoran shouted, getting in front of Sakura.

Eriol glared at Syaoran."Think you can protect your precious cherry blossom, little wolf?Well guess again!"Eriol threw his hands forward and behind Syaoran, Sakura gasped.

Unseen to the naked and magical eye, Eriol wrapped his string around Sakura, making her take out a card.He fed magic into the string before she could stop him.The Sword Card was activated and Sakura's wand was transformed into a Sword.Sakura fought against it, but she felt her arm raise and bear the sword in front of her.Then in one swift motion, she brought it down, and Syaoran had to duck-roll out of the way.

"Sakura!"He called out in surprise.

Sakura looked up in horror."He's got me!"Then her wings grew out of her back on their own accord and she flew at Syaoran with incredible speed.Syaoran dodged to the side, but the sword cut into his shirt.Sakura flew into the air and stopped above Eriol."Syaoran!"She cried out.

Syaoran growled and glared at Eriol."Let her go.I don't know who you are, but you are not the Eriol who was our friend!"

Eriol sighed."Oh dear… He found me out." Then he turned back to Syaoran."I am not the Eriol you knew!I am better than he was!I don't fall for fake friendships like yours!You always hated me and for that I will make you pay!"

Syaoran gasped as he watched Sakura pulled out another card."Fiery!"

Meeko and Shinji tried flying over the wall with their wings, but to no success.The wall just grew with their velocity.Shinji had tried Sword, but that too fell through.Makoto slammed his fist on the wall."There is no way out of here!"

Akiko sniffed, trying to be brave and not cry."First daddy, now I lose mommy too…" She sniffed again.

Makoto seemed uncomfortable seeing her cry like that.He wanted to rush up and comfort her, but didn't know how…

Meeko smirked._Give her a hug…_

__Makoto looked up in surprise._N-nani?_

__Meeko tried not to laugh._Go on… you can do it…_

Makoto took a visible deep breath, seeable by only Meeko and Shinji, since he saw Meeko smiling broadly.Makoto moved over to Akiko and slowly, unsure-like, wrapped his arms around her.

Akiko felt his arms through her tears and gasped.Makoto froze.Without a second though, Akiko grabbed his shirt and cried into his shoulder.The tension gone, Makoto held his loved one close, letting her know she wasn't alone.

The two had their eyes closed, but Shinji saw behind them, a black hole start to form."Look out!"He cried out.

Makoto and Akiko jumped apart, but Makoto was unfortunate, because his hand hit the black thing and it sucked him in.

Meeko cried out in horror."Oniichan!" She dove after him, disappearing in the blackness.

Akiko was about to follow, when Shinji held her back."We can't get lost too!We have to find a way to bring them back!"

Akiko struggled, and watched as she saw the portal close."Makoto!!!!!!"

Tomoyo sat in her large house…all alone except for Kero, who sat on the couch's armrest, concentrating his powers on following the battle.He could sense when attacks were released and auras moved, that kind of thing."Eriol-san's aura…" He said, getting Tomoyo's attention almost immediately."It's changed.It is reddish now…"

Tomoyo gasped."Eriol…Iie."She knew what that meant.He wasn't the same person anymore.He was evil now.

Kero frowned."Nani?"Tomoyo asked.

"The children…" He said, opening his eyes."I can't sense two of them anymore."

Tomoyo gasped again, her hands visibly shaking."Akiko…oh Kami-sama, onegai, protect my love and my little one.Onegai."She cried and Kero flew over to pat her on the shoulder.

"They are strong.They will make it all right.Don't you worry."He comforted._At least I hope so…_

Syaoran jumped to the side, as the Element flew at him.He wheezed as the hot she-card flew past him, slightly singeing his shirt and arm.

Sakura shrieked."Syaoran!I can't help it!"She recalled the card with all of her powers, and Eriol growled.

"You think that'll stop me!Ha!I can still defeat you both!"He said.

Syaoran sneered at Eriol."Yamate! (stop)Before someone gets hurt!"

Eriol laughed."That's the plan."

"Thunder!"Sakura cried, lightning coming down out of the sky at Li.

"Ahh!"He back flipped out of the way, the lightning landing where he had been a second ago, and forming into Raijuu.Syaoran opened his mouth in shock.He didn't have the Shadow Card to defeat this!What was he going to do!

Sakura sniffed."Gomennasai, Syaoran."

Eriol smirked."Try getting out of this one, little wolf."

Outside the Maze, Hitori smirked._Those brats ran into the Return inside Maze!I might not have to capture them at all!They'll never get out of this one._

But never the less, Hitori set her trap at the exit of the Maze Card.

Makoto and Meeko looked around in the darkness.They didn't know where they were…

Meeko shivered."I don't like this place…It's full of magic."

Makoto nodded his response, and kept his twin close, in case anything happened.He suddenly felt something and took out his sword.Spinning around, he saw none other than…himself?

Meeko gasped."He looked just like you, demo…it's not!"

Makoto frowned."Nani?"

Meeko pointed to the girl that appeared next to the figure."That's mom…when she was ten!Remember the clones!"

At hearing this, both twins jumped back, but the clones simply talked to each other.Makoto frowned."Why aren't they attacking us?"

Kero appeared behind Sakura, arguing with Syaoran, little veins popping out.

Meeko watched carefully."This happened in the past."

Makoto turned to his twin in shock."N-nani?"

Meeko nodded."This has to be the work of the Return!"She said.

Makoto turned and watched as the ten-year-old Syaoran gasp and reach for his sword.In the next second, he pulled it from its sheath and struck at Sakura.

Sakura moved back just in time, as the sword struck the ground at her feet.Her and Kero were shocked at this.

Meeko gasped."What is going on?"She moved behind Makoto incase things got ugly.

Makoto frowned as he watched Syaoran hold his own hand down."I think he's being controlled."

Meeko looked up towards the sky and saw Eriol sitting in a chair, moving strings with his hands like a puppeteer.Syaoran moved at his command charging at Sakura and slashing at her with his sword, cutting at her outfit.

Meeko narrowed his eyes."Eriol made dad do that!"

Makoto nodded and Syaoran pulled out one of his cards, spraying water all over the place.Sakura and Syaoran saw the strings and cut it using the Sword Sakura Card.Meeko frowned."Why are we being shown this?"

Makoto looked around, trying to see if there was a way out."I don't know, but our friends need us…let's get out of here."

Shinji pounded at the Maze wall."Iie!"

Akiko was worried. "How will we get them out?"

Shinji thought for a moment."I don't know!They have to make it out themselves."

Akiko gasped."Iie, Makoto…"

Shinji looked at the very spot where his living angel had disappeared._Meeko…you have to be strong…please come back to me…_

__

__Inside the Return, Meeko heard Shinji's plea."Shinji…" She concentrated her power.She felt him…just to her left.

"I know the way out of here."She said to her brother.

Makoto turned to her."Where?"He asked, not bothering to ask _how_ she knew, but just wanting to get back to Akiko.

Meeko started walking towards her feeling._Shinji…I'm coming…get us out somehow!_

Shinji heard Meeko and smiled."They're coming!"

Akiko gasped and looked up."How do you know?"

Shinji blushed. "We…well I…discovered that we are linked."

Akiko smiled._Maybe it'll work for me._She thought.She concentrated on Makoto and felt him in the other dimension._Don't worry.We got a plan._

__Shinji called out his staff and took out a card."Sword!"

Makoto, in the other realm, took out his sword under Meeko's command.

At the same time, Meeko told Makoto to slash the wall at the same time as Shinji did, and a hole was opened up.Meeko smiled as she saw Shinji's face greet her and offer his hand.She took it and both twins made it out as the hole closed.

Makoto turned around and raised his sword."Return Card!Return to the shape you were meant to be!"Return formed out of the wall, and look at Meeko with sad eyes, before turning into a card and floating to Makoto's hand.

The kids let out a sigh in relief.Then Makoto got an idea."I can get us out of here!"He threw the new card in front of him."Return Card!Return us to the time before we entered the Maze!"

A maroon light surrounded the four and they soon found themselves outside the Maze.Meeko whipped around."Return to the shape you were meant to be!Maze Card!"Maze turned into a card and was awarded to Meeko.She smiled.

Akiko ran up to Makoto and hugged him."I was so worried about you!"He hugged her back, but they stopped hugging, when a familiar laughter filled the area.

"You fools!You think you are out of the woods yet?You must still face me!"

The four looked up and saw Hitori standing on the tree outside where Maze had just been."Hitori!"They exclaimed.

"Yes, it's me.You may have defeated two weak cards, but I am no easy task to defeat!"She jumped from the tree and took out her sword in midair, attempting to slash Meeko from shoulder to hip.

Her sword only hit metal, as Shinji blocked the blow."You have to break the spell!"He said, trying to get through to their classmate.

Makoto took out his sword and tried to hit Hitori from behind, but she pushed Shinji away and blocked the blow behind her, following up with a pinch to Makoto's stomach.He doubled over and Hitori back flipped away from them."You four are a joke!"She raised her hand and her card materialized in her hand."Create!"

A cage was formed around the cardcaptors and inside… their weapons disappeared.Hitori smiled as shocked expression showed on their faces.She waved her hand and a mist formed in the air."Good night, card creeps."

Meeko tried not to breath in, but once she did, sleep over took her and she fell to the ground as did her friends.Hitomi laughed."Mistress Madoushi will be so pleased."Then she and the cage with the cardcaptors disappeared.

Syaoran was thrown across the room as Raijuu hit him with a lightning attack.Sakura shouted, but couldn't stop it. He collapsed on the floor, Raijuu bearing down on him.Then Raijuu…disappeared.

"Huh?"Questioned Syaoran.

Eriol walked out of the shadows."It would be far to easy to defeat you that way.I must bring you to my master."He waved his hands and Sakura flew down and kicked Syaoran in the head, knocking him out.

"Thank you very much."Eriol said to the shocked Sakura."You're job is done."He hit the side of her neck and she fell to the ground besides Syaoran.Eriol smiled and waved his cloak over the two figures…all three of them disappearing into the night.

Kero frowned in growing worry, as the auras seem to disappear.

"Kero," Tomoyo asked."What's going on?"

He turned to her."I…I can't sense them."

"Nani?"She asked in shock.This was the mighty Keroberus.Even in his small form he would be able to sense his mistress and her family from anywhere in the world."What happened."

Kero looked at the ground in sadness. "Only one explanation…They've been captured."

__


	22. Rescue

Second Generation Cardcaptors 22

Madoushi: Last time…Syaoran: Wait you are having her do the summary!?Digidynasty: Why not?Sakura: Because she's the bad guy!Digidynasty: It's my story!Go on Madoushi.Madoushi *clears her throat and glares at the two cardcaptors* Anyways…Last time the four cardcaptors brats…Digidynasty: Hey I didn't say you could call people names!Syaoran: *crosses his arms* Told you she should do it.Digidynasty: Fine I'll do it!*sigh* Last time Meeko and the gang ran into Return and Maze, nasty combination.The new bad guy in town, Fukushu, sent Eriol to capture Sakura and Syaoran.Hitori went after the children and captured them for Madoushi.Only Tomoyo and Kero are left free…can they save everyone?

Meeko moaned and awoke in a cell of some kind, her brother and friends besides them."N-Nani?"She slowly sat up and nudged her brother._Wake up…we have to get out of here…_

__Makoto opened his eyes and with the help of his sister, gets up.Meeko and Makoto revive Akiko and Shinji and start look around their cell to find a way out.

"I can't believe Hitori would do something like this…" Akiko said in shock.

"I will do much worse to you brats soon."A voice said.They all turned and saw Hitori at the gate.

Meeko ran up."Why!Come on!Snap out of it!"

Hitori backed up and struck Meeko with a small bolt of lightning."Enough of that!Your friend can't hear you!Now…" She opened the gate."Create!"Chains and shackles appeared on the children's wrists."Come out nice and slow.Mistress Madoushi wants to see you."

The four children, seeing they had no choice, walked one behind the other, out of the cell, and followed Hitori out.

The children were herded to another room, where Madoushi sat on a large throne."You brats have caused me enough problems.You will not capture the cards!That is for me and my servant!"

"Hitori is not your servant!"Meeko protested.

Madoushi stood up."Quiet girl, or you will be punished!"

Makoto looked at her worriedly._Matte…calm down…we'll get out of this yet._

Eriol held Sakura tight as Fushuku cast a spell on her.Once he was finished, he nodded to Eriol, who moved over to the half unconscious Syaoran and lifted him up, to chain him to the wall.Fushuku smirked."You."He pointed to Sakura."Come here." 

Sakura gasped as she felt her body move under his will.The spell his cast made her powerless to stop anything he asked her to do.

Syaoran moaned and opened his eyes."Snap out of it, Eriol…" He begged.

Eriol narrowed his eyes and backhanded Syaoran across the face.

"Iie!Syaoran!"Sakura cried out.She wanted to run to him, but her body wouldn't let her.

"Oh, no you don't."Fushuku said and waved his hand, making her walk to him and sit on his lap, as Syaoran recovered from the painful blow.Fushuku ran a wrinkled hand across Sakura's face, bringing a growl from Syaoran.

Sakura cringed."You'll be sorry."She warned through clenched teeth.

"I doubt that."He said, moving his hand up and down her thigh."You see, there is no one who can save you, and I have what I want." He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it.

"Not true, my Lord."Eriol spoke up."Their children might prove a problem."

Syaoran pulled at the chains and tried to lunge at Eriol."You leave them out of this!"

Fushuku smiled in thought. "Yes…the children…"

Tomoyo begged the little guardian beast."Please Kero!They are out there, and you know where, so please!Undo the Lock and get me out of here so we can help our friends and family!"

Kero looked away from the sad looking amethyst eyes that were brimming with tears."Sakura said to keep you here."

"But she never thought this would happen!We have to do something!"

Kero sighed in defeat."Fine."He closed his eyes and glowed with a golden yellow light, slowly transforming into Keroberus."Get on."Tomoyo side saddled the guardian beast and held on tight as he took to the air inside her mansion.

Tomoyo narrowed her eyes."Blow it!"Keroberus nodded and used his fire attack on the door, blowing it up along with Lock.They flew out.

"Where to?"She asked.

Keroberus sensed for his mistress' presence."To the South!"He turned and flew in that direction.

While riding Keroberus, Tomoyo came out with her cell phone."Nakuru!I need you and Yue, with Spinel Sun, to meet me and Keroberus at the South part of town!"

_"We're on our way."_

Tomoyo clicked off her phone._I hope we get to them in time._

"Now tell me!Where are your parents!"Madoushi demanded of Meeko and Shinji."They will be the next to feel my wrath!"

Meeko narrowed her eyes."We won't tell you anything!"Indeed, she and Makoto had felt something strange going on with their parents, and knew they wouldn't be here to save them this time.Madoushi got mad and struck Meeko and Shinji, who were now before her, with her staff."Imbeciles!"

"Stop it!"Akiko shouted, trying her best to break her chains…if only she could get to her cards and key!All of their powers were taken away and placed in a magically sealed box, on a pedestal by the throne.

Madoushi turned to Akiko in her rage of impatience and went to strike Akiko, who screamed and closed her eyes, but felt nothing.Opening them again, Akiko saw it was Makoto who took the blow. He fell at her feet."Makoto!"She knelt down.

Makoto winced, a large welt forming on his cheek."Are…are you alright?"

Akiko fought back the tears and nodded.

Madoushi growled in annoyance and sat at her throne."We must bring them to us."

Hitori steps forward."My Lady… finding them may not prove difficult.I have felt a great power somewhere near by.We must meet the magician who possesses that power and bring him here."

Madoushi nodded and chanted a spell to make a portal open up before her.Fushuku appeared and glared at Madoushi."Who dares to interrupt me!?"

"I, Madoushi, sorceress of the underworld, ask to meet you acquaintance, concerning a renegade Mistress of the Cards, and her protector."Madoushi stated.

"Ah yes…I have them in my possession now…" Fushuku smiled."What exactly do you wish of them?"

"A spell…their powers will unlock a powerful force…that is all you need to know now…please…will you join me in my quarters?"She invited.

"I will bring my prisoners and my own servant as well."The portal closed and the room wavered as the forms of Fushuku, Eriol, and Sakura with Syaoran appeared.

"Mommy!"Meeko yelled from behind the cages doors that Hitori had now shoved them into, closing the gate.

"Meeko!"Syaoran shouted from being chained in this room too.

"Sweetie!"Sakura shouted, and tried to pull away from Fushuku, who pulled her and held her close.

"Now, shall we see what arrangements can be made between us?"

Fushuku nodded and moved Sakura to the corner, where he sat her down and walked into another room leaving Eriol and Hitori to watch the prisoners.

Makoto sat back with the others in their cell, looking longingly over at their parents._We have to get out of here…_

_We need a distraction of some sort…_Meeko replied.

Makoto sighed._That's the problem._

__

__Tomoyo was riding on Keroberus, when he made an abrupt turn."My sense has changed!They've been moved!"

Tomoyo nodded and soon saw Yue and Ruby Moon, with Spinel Sun coming up to them."We sense their location as well."Ruby Moon said.

Tomoyo nodded."Let's go get them."

Sakura looked over at Syaoran sadly, as he contemplated ways of getting out.

Syaoran had many possibilities…but he didn't want to hurt Eriol.

Makoto frowned._Why did we see Eriol doing those mean things to mom and dad earlier?Was he their enemy before?_

_Maybe…_Then Meeko gasped._That's it!_She stood up.

_Huh?What is?_Makoto questioned.

Meeko walked up to the bars…the chains still on her wrists."Uncle Eriol." Eriol turned to observe the little girl.She looked at him straight in the eye…amber met sapphire."Why did you attack mommy and daddy when you were little?"She asked with the most innocent voice she could muster.

Makoto caught on and moved next to his sister."Why did you want to hurt them?"

Eriol shifted uncomfortably."I…uh…I had to."He said gruffly."They needed to be tested and trained."

"Then why attack them now?"Meeko persisted.

"Aren't we family??"Makoto asked.

Eriol growled in annoyance."You children wouldn't understand!"

"What wouldn't we understand!?"Shinji got up."That you would turn your back on your friends so easily?"

Eriol held his head and stepped back, crying out in pain.Hitori stepped up."Enough! We serve a higher purpose that you do now!"

Fushuku and Madoushi sat down and created a scroll with their combined magic."We will be partners in gaining the ultimate power."Madoushi said.

Fushuku nodded."Great promise in our arrangement."

Madoushi nodded and they both signed the scroll.

Syaoran looked at Eriol and Hitori distracted with the children and saw he key just out of reach…if he could get to it…

There was a loud crash and Madoushi and Fushuku came out of the room."What in Kami-sama is going on out here!?"Fushuku demanded.

When the rubble cleared, Tomoyo, besides Keroberus, appeared, the guardians behind her."Anyone need a distraction?"Tomoyo said playfully.

Madoushi growled."Get them!"She commanded.

"You heard her!"Fushuku growled.

Eriol and Hitori moved in to attack, and Ruby Moon and Yue took to the air.Keroberus used his lightning attack on Syaoran's chains and broke him free, while Spinel Sun used his red beam attack on the cage, setting the children free.Tomoyo ran off to Sakura and held up a key.The spell on Sakura is broken, and Sakura looks at Tomoyo in shock."How did you…?"

Tomoyo smiled and held up the key."It's Eriol's.Baka brain didn't take it with him."

Sakura smiled and nodded and joined the battle besides her beloved."Let's do this!"

Syaoran nodded and looked to the pedestal with their weapons, now also holding his sword and Sakura's key.He turned to Keroberus."Destroy it!"

Keroberus nodded and used his lightning attack on the pedestal breaking the shield.Everyone ran to retrieve their weapons.Shinji and Meeko stood side by side and faced Hitori, Makoto and Akiko faced Eriol…the guardians with Sakura and Syaoran faced off with Fushuku and Madoushi.

It was at a standstill, until Makoto charged in and it all began.Makoto slashed with his sword, but Eriol dodged to the side.Akiko tripped him from the side and did a flip-twist over him to land by Makoto."Otousan, listen to me!You have to remember who you are!You don't want to do anything you'll regret!"

Makoto nodded."You made that mistake when you were our age, but you can't let yourself do it again!You have to over come it!"

Eriol smirked and made a sword of black light in his hand."The only mistake I had was having a weak daughter like you!"He pointed at Akiko, who gasped.

Meeko and Shinji were holding down Hitori, trying to figure out a way to get her back, when the demon inside her threw them off, and they landed on the far side of the room.Shinji struggled up, when Tomoyo came and gave them both a hand up.

"Aunt Tomoyo!"Meeko acknowledged.

Tomoyo winked."Just here to help.Be careful, ne?"

Meeko and Shinji nodded and ran off to face Hitori again.

Sakura was fighting Madoushi, while Syaoran was battling Fushuku.Staffs and swords clashed, filling the air with the sounds of battle.Madoushi attacked Sakura with a black magic ball, sending Sakura into the air.

"Sakura!"Syaoran shouted, delivering a blow with his elbow to Fushuku's stomach, sending the sorcerer doubling over and staggering back.Syaoran turned to see Sakura flying through to air.Thankfully, Yue came up behind her, catching her and lowered her safely to the ground.

Besides them, Ruby Moon struck Madoushi with an unexpected red beam to her side.Madoushi shrieked in pain and growled at the maroon haired woman, with butterfly wings."Wench!"She shot Ruby Moon with a new attack…it struck Ruby Moon, turning her body an ashy gray, sending her like a rock to the ground.

"Iie!"Yue shouted and made a move towards her, but was struck with a similar attack from Fushuku, sending Yue to the ground as well.

Sakura and Syaoran went back to back against the two enemies.How were they going to get out of this one?

__


	23. Dark Versus Light

Dedication: This is just a little paragraph for my good friend and awesome writer, Satashi!!!!He may think he can't write, but all of us out here know he can right!!??*everyone screams*All right then!What you are all going to do, is read his stuff and send him reviews saying how great you are right!!??*everyone cheers again*All right!From me to you Satashi…you are the best! (Knows he is going to hate her for this and will probably get back at her)

Second Generation Cardcaptors 23

Dark Versus Light

Eriol: Last time those brats tried to make me feel sorry about my past deeds, but I have nothing to be shameful for! I did what I had to do and that is that! *clears his throat*Anyways, Master Fushuku and Madoushi made a pact together to get the parents' power and use it for Madoushi's will.Then, my wife *growl* comes in and brings those fallen angels and two mutts with her too!They attack us, and now we must fight to regain control!

Tomoyo's camera zoomed in and traveled across the room, catching every tense moment.Tomoyo herself was hidden behind the rock, so as to not get hurt.Her friends and family though, were face to face with the enemy.On the left, her best friend Sakura standing besides her husband, Syaoran against two of the most powerful sorcerers alive.Madoushi and Fushuku, now bonded by a magical alliance, stood against the two cardcaptors.Above them, Keroberus growled at the enemy.

To the left, as Tomoyo moved her lens, and zoomed in once more, she spotted the children…the second generation, facing off with enemies of their own.Shinji and Meeko, stood before their once upon a time friend Hitori.Their friends, Makoto and Akiko, faced off with reincarnated Clow Reed, Eriol.Spinel Sun stayed above the children as he faced off with his master.

All was still and quiet as it had been before, until Madoushi smirked and fired her attack."Breathe of Fire!"She threw her hand forward and fire came forth against Sakura…

She gasped and called forth her card."Watery!"The watery spirit came forth and counter attacked the fire attack with such power, that Madoushi stumbled back as the blast bounced back and hit her.

Fushuku had other plans for his adversary.He pulled out a talisman that was black with a golden casing.He closed his eyes."God of War, God of Night, combine thy power…for Serpent's Strike!" The talisman glowed with an eerie light, and a black smoke began to come out of it.Right before Syaoran's eyes, the smoke formed into a giant cobra, with red glowing eyes.It's large fangs opened up and came down with lightning speed upon the warrior.

Syaoran barely had time to jump to the side, as the snake hit the floor where Syaoran had been just a moment before.He heard his wife yelling his name, while trying to battle Madoushi with her sword card.

"I will finish you off once and for all!"Madoushi shrieked as she back flipped away from the armed Clow Card Mistress."Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…"

All around Sakura, little particles of magical sparkles appeared around her, landing on her shoulder and head.The sorceress's eyes went wide and soon closed as she fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.

"Sakura!"Syaoran shouted and brought up his sword and shouted."God of lightning!Descend!!"Lightning exploded from his sword and raced out at the phantom snake.It cried out and shook in pain.

Keroberus let loose his lightning attack and pinned Madoushi and Fushuku against the wall.

Meeko saw what was happening and turned to her parents."Mom!Dad!"

"Look out!"Shinji shoved Meeko aside and blocked an attack from Hitori.

Meeko hit the ground and opened her mouth in shock as friend fought friend, and next to them, family fought family, A.K.A. Akiko fighting her father, Makoto at her side.Makoto called forth Dash and rammed into Eriol, pinning him to the side.Eriol let loose red energy and Makoto flew to the other side of the room and fell unconscious.Eriol then aimed a red sphere attack at Akiko who shrieked when Spinel Sun came and shielded her from the attack.Spinel Sun then counterattacked and blasted his old master to his knees.

Meeko couldn't understand why she felt this way, but something inside her broke and she let out a scream that echoed in the cave.

Just then, all fighting in the room ceased, and a darkness came forth from the center of the room.It crawled up the sides and consumed everything.Meeko watched in horror as her parents, the serpent, the guardians all disappear.Hitori, and the minions vanished.Meeko's friends one by one faded from view.

Soon she was alone, in a darkness of pitch black.She looked around and called out to her friends.

"Shinji?""Mom?""Makoto!!!"

She fell to her knees and cried.She didn't want to be alone.But then she remembered her and Akiko playing, Shinji saving her so gallantly, her parents always being there for her.Soon, she realized something.Even though she couldn't see them, she knew their spirits were inside her, and they were depending on her to save them all.Suddenly, a flash back of a talk she had with her mother came back to her.

_"Whenever you are in a bind, simply say these three words."Sakura said to a 5-year old Meeko._

_"What three words mommy?"The little girl asked innocently._

_Sakura smiled and held Meeko on her lap."Setai, daijobu dayo."_

_Meeko blinked and giggles, nodding happily, then hugged her mom with her little arms."Hai… 'Everything will be alright'."_

__

Meeko allowed herself a small smiled and opened her eyes with new determination.She wouldn't let them down.Taking a deep breath, she said those three words."S-setai, daijobu dayo."

Suddenly, a light shot out from Meeko's heart in all directions.The light was of the purest white; a combination of all the colors.It twirled around Meeko in marvelous swirls, and soon took the form of a beautiful teenage girl.She had white curls lining the side of her face and lovely crimpled hair flowing down her back.

Meeko gasped at the deity."W-who are you?"She asked in a shaky voice.

The figure smiled."I am you.The light that represents all the good…inside you."

Meeko watched her in awe, her noble gown flowing around her."A-are you a Clow Card?"

The deity nodded."I am, and I can help you, but only if you say my name."

Meeko thought for a minute (That would be some of her mom's slow wits coming through, no offense!) "Light?"

Light giggled and nodded, the glowed bright, filling the room of its power.The darkness shrank back until Meeko soon found her brother become unwrapped by the darkness.He was awake and unharmed.Then another teen appeared next to Light and the two held hands.

Makoto moved next to his sister. "Is that…?"

Meeko nodded."Light."

Makoto pointed to the second one.This one had all black on and had long straight black hair."And this is Dark?"

Dark nodded and gestured to his sword pendant around his neck.

"Oh right…" He took it out and turned it into a sword.

Makoto turned to his sister, who nodded and transformed her key into a staff as well.She grasped it and gave it a twirl before facing the Clow Cards.

As one, Meeko and Makoto raised their weapons and closed their eyes."Return to thy true form, Clow Cards!"

Light and Dark began to disappear into the cards that formed in front of the twins."Be strong…For together everything will be fine."Light said.

"Beware of the Black Sun."Dark cautioned.

"Huh?"Meeko asked, but it was too late.The cards disappeared and Dark went to Makoto, while Light flew to Meeko.

In a flash, everyone appeared in the cave again.The twins looked around and saw them start to come to.

Madoushi and Fushuku staggered to their feet and the serpent was gone.Syaoran helped a weary Sakura to her feet, while Meeko and Makoto checked up on their friends.When Madoushi saw the Light and Dark cards in the twins' possession, she growled."Quick!Steal the cards from them!"

Eriol and Hitomi nodded and moved in towards the twins.

Meeko took a step back. They couldn't fight now, with everyone down.They had to escape.But how? Anything drastic would take too much energy…and they had little left. Then, Meeko got an idea and threw forward a card."Light!"

Light was released and spread around the room, energizing the good guys and making the evil ones cringe.Hitomi fell back, as well as Eriol, two shadows visible coming out of their backs.

Meeko narrowed her eyes and added in more power.Makoto grabbed her hand and nodded._Remember mom's saying?_

__Meeko smiled slightly and nodded._Ready?_

_Hai._

__"Setai, daijobu dayo!"They shouted and their energies were put in full force into the Light.

The shadows were blasted out of the unwilling bodies.Eriol and Hitori fell to the floor.One shadow shrieked and faded in the Light.The demon that came out of Hitori however, knelt over in pain as Light ran out of power and was recalled.

Both Meeko and Makoto collapsed.Shinji picked up Meeko in his arms and Akiko knelt by Makoto, now too weak to call out the Power Card.

The demon had the head of a bull and reddish skin.It had large black hooves and had large black and red bat like wings growing out of it's back."No!!This can't be!I must reincarnate and destroy this world!"His eyes glowed red and he let out a large howl, his tail thrashing around.

Spinel Sun and Keroberus stood watch over the angel guardians, who were still an ash color, while Sakura and Syaoran ran over to the children.

Tomoyo came out of her hiding spot and ran over to her husband while was just coming to.He moaned and when he opened his eyes, he gasped."Abbadon!"

Out of Abbadon's mouth, came a red misty air that wrapped around Madoushi and Hitori.

Hitori screamed."No!!!"It was her own voice again!

"Hitori!"Akiko shouted.

Both Hitori and Madoushi disappeared in a red light that flew to Abbadon's mouth.He seemed to grow with the energy.

Abbadon laughed."I can feel it!I can feel the power grow!"His red skin darkened to a blood red and his arms and wings grew spikes.

Eriol forced himself to his feet and ran over to Yue and Ruby Moon, their bodies still and limp.Eriol placed one hand above each guardian and blue energy enveloped them.When the light subsided, Eriol passed out, and Spinel Sun caught him, mounting him on his back.

Yue and Ruby Moon opened their eyes and upon seeing Abbadon, jumped to their feet."What in Kami-sama?!"Both exclaimed.

Syaoran ran up to them."We're getting out of here!Now!"Everyone nodded and evacuated the building.Syaoran left on Keroberus, Sakura used Fly and carried Makoto, while Shinji carried Meeko.Tomoyo got on Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon held Akiko.Everyone quickly made way for the exit.

"You will not escape!"Abbadon roared, his voice causing the cave to collapse.

The group dodged boulders and finally made it into the sunlight.Dust and Rock spewed from behind them.

Abbadon growled in annoyance, as the shaking ceased.He turned and glowered at Fushuku, who was trying to scurry away."You will be my servant."

Fushuku huddled in the corner and visibly paled as the large clawed hand came down upon him."Uh-oh…"

Syaoran and the rest all sat down in Tomoyo's house, the children resting in the few of many rooms, while the teachers and guardians had another… "chat".Yukito and Nakuru decided they would go home to rest, leaving the children in Tomoyo's care.

Sakura took a sip of her tea and frowned."So…who is this demon again?"

Eriol sat back and sighed in exhaustion.When he had come home, he saw his whole front door blown out.That had been easy enough to fix though, with everyone's help.Now he had to explain something as ancient as time itself?"Abbadon, is a demon from the underworld, released by Madoushi.While in Hitori's body, he could not become his true form.In the cave, when he transformed, he used Hitori's and Madoushi's power.Madoushi was once a servant of Abbadon's and wanted to release him, demo now that he is in his full form he will be much more powerful."Eriol explained.

Tomoyo looked over at her husband."What was his um…job in the underworld?"It was a stupid question, but one that needed answering anyway.

Surprisingly, Syaoran spoke up."Abbadon was the controller of the other fallen angels.He inspired uprisings and chaos.He is also in charge of the keys to the abyss."

Sakura shivered a bit."T-the abyss?"

Suppi entered the conversation."It is a large black hole, in which you can never find your way out of."

Sakura immediately clung to Syaoran's arm.Kero smiled and flew up to his mistress."Ya, you know…it's all dark…no one can see you…no one can hear you…"

Sakura hated being scared."Kero, yamate!"She accidentally swatted him away, making him fly backwards into Eriol's cup of coffee, not tea, since he thought he needed the caffeine.Coffee went everywhere, making everyone but Suppi get wet.Suppi glared at Kero, frosted cream on his head.

Kero sweat dropped and made a nervous laugh.He gingerly reached forward and took off some of the foam, putting it in his mouth."Hmm…not bad."

That did it with Suppi.Without warning, Suppi pushed down Kero's head back into the coffee, and sat on the top, preventing Kero from resurfacing.

Eriol chuckled for the first time in a long time."Suppi…enough."

Suppi looked up at his master and sighed before getting off, allowing a air-deprived Kero pop up.Kero glared at Suppi and made ready to dive at him, when Sakura placed one of the pastry lids over Kero, trapping the guardian beast.

"Our problems just got a whole lot worse…"She said quietly, knowing everyone present agreed with her.

A/N: That had to be the best chapter I ever made!Demons…Light, Dark, Gosh I am so on a roll!!Okay, if you guys review I will write more quickly…if not… who knows when.^_^Oh, and for you non-jap speakers…"Setai, daijobu dayo" means everything's going to be all right.Also Yamate = stop.Happy?Kk!See you at the next chapter!

__


	24. Nightmare

The Second Generation Cardcaptors 24

Meeko:Okay, last time, we all faced off with Eriol, Hitori, Madoushi-sensei, (Makoto: She ain't our teacher anymore!)I'm being respectful!(Makoto: She is the enemy!)No excuse for bad manners! (Makoto: Bad manners!!??)*sigh*Akiko? Onegai? (Akiko: Silent!Release and dispel! Makoto: Mphrmmm!!!!)*giggles*As I was saying, we went up against her and Fushuku.Just when everything looked its worst, Dark attacks and I find the Light inside of me, then Makoto and I capture Light and Dark!I use Light to break Eriol free and we make our escape.Demo, not before that demon thing transforms, using Hitori and Madoushi-sensei's powers!Now we have big problems… (Makoto: Mphrphmmmm!!!)Yeah, whatever…

Fushuku bowed before his new master.The balance of power had shifted dramatically after the events from the previous night.Fushuku was powerful, but he was far from being able to defy the powers of Abbadon.Abbadon was a mighty demon from the underworld.Ruler and keeper of the keys to the abyss and was now on Earth…using the powers of Madoushi and Hitori, to increase his powers and attack the cardcaptors and their families…the only ones who stood against him.

Abbadon towered over Fushuku, even sitting on his massive throne."We must turn the cards against the cardcaptors.Madoushi had the right idea…making them aggressive might make the job of destroying them easier."

Fushuku nodded, yet stayed down on his hands and knees, not daring to look up."Yes...m-master."

"Go then, and taint the Dream card…I have sensed it nearby.It will bring nightmares to its victims, making them frails kittens in the real world.I will handle phase two of my plan."Abbadon proposed.

Fushuku nodded and stood up."As you wish."

With a swish of his cloak, he disappeared from the room.

Hours later, Fushuku returned, task completed.Abbadon grinned.Now, for phase two.He formed a clock in his hands and cast a spell at exactly 6:06:06.That was when things would change for the children.

Fire.

All she could see was Fire.

She called out to her friends, as she felt the evil surrounding her.She held her staff in front of her, as she saw dark shadows surrounding her.

She saw her friends one by one disappear.Swallowed in the flames."No!!!"She cried out.It was a card…she knew.But why was it acting so violent?Just like Windy did that one-day.Fiery was an attack card yes, but it fought with honor…not total destruction.What was she seeing?

She started to back up as the flames grew closer to her…she could feel the heat scorch her skin.She had no defense against something like this.What was she going to do?She did the only thing she could…she screamed.

Now then, since the adults were downstairs "chatting", or fighting in Kero and Suppi's case, the children were all upstairs in four separate beds in Akiko's room.The four young cardcaptors were all sprawled out in odd positions.

There was a yawn, and Shinji awoke from his quiet slumber.He stretched out his arms and sat up.Looking over at the bed next to him, he saw Meeko sleeping peacefully.He smiled and peered into her face.She looked so innocent in her sleep.

Suddenly, her eyes flickered and opened…amber orbs looking around her surroundings…assessing the situation.Soon they fell upon Shinji, bringing a smile to the Li Clan descendant.Shinji smiled back and brushed a strand of hair out of her face."I thought I felt the aura of an angel nearby."He said sweetly.

Meeko blushed and hide back underneath her covers."Sweet talker…" She giggled.

Shinji chuckled and poked at her stomach, making her squirm and come out of the covers."Come on…we've been asleep long enough."He offered her a hand, which she accepted and sat up.

Makoto over to Meeko's side groaned and sat up."Man, just when you finally get enough sleep, your sister has to get all mushy and wake you up."

Meeko swiftly picked up her pillow and threw it at her brother."Mou!If only you had the guts to say such things!"

Makoto got the pillow right in the side of the face, knocking him off the bed onto the floor.His head came up, his hair in disarray."Oh yeah! I could to!"

"Do it then!"Meeko dared.

Makoto cursed himself for suggesting it, and slowly turned to face Akiko, who was asleep in the bed next to him.But when he looked at Akiko, he immediately felt something was wrong.

"Akiko?"He gently touched her and heard her whimper in pain.Suddenly, his senses flared to life of danger."Akiko!"

His shouting got Meeko's and Shinji's attention and they ran over to Akiko's side.Meeko reached over and felt her forehead."She's burning up!"

Shinji immediately got up and ran to the room's door, getting the attention of the parents.Makoto closed his eyes and held onto her and to sense for the anomaly.Opening his eyes, he stared down at her in worry."It's a Clow Card."

Meeko sniffed and tried to stop herself from crying…she hated to see her friends hurt like this.Sweat beaded her forehead, and Makoto used his sleeve to clean it off."What's wrong with her?"She whimpered again, and it was as if a sword had pierced his heart…seeing the one he loved in pain, was killing him.He had to find out what was wrong.

Tomoyo was the first to burst into the room, followed by Eriol.They ran to their daughter and Tomoyo immediately showed worry for her only child.Kneeling down, she took Akiko's other hand…

"She's running a fever."She deduced, though it was evident because of Akiko's skin had a reddish tone to it.

Sakura took the blankets from another of the beds."We need to break the fever."Taking off the blankets, so wrap up Akiko in the second blanket, Sakura gasped.

There were several burn marks covering her body.Her arms and legs, which were only covered in thins shorts were red and in some places wrinkled.

Seeing this Tomoyo started to cry."What's happening to her!?"

Eriol took one look and frowned."Dream."

"Dream?"Syaoran questioned."But Dream usually shows pleasant dreams…what the person wants to see the most…" He blushed, remembering the dream he had concerning the Dream card and Sakura…he always wanted to see it again.

_A ten-year-old Syaoran walked into the movie theatre and immediately noticed there was no one there…on the screen; he saw something that made him stop in his tracks._

_On the screen, Syaoran watched himself hand over the Clow Cards…"Here…these are for you…I want you to have them…"_

_Syaoran gasped."Huh!What!?"He would never give those up…they were the whole reason he was in Japan._

_But then…next to the Syaoran on the screen…stood Sakura… The sky full of reds and oranges as the sun set over the ocean.She smiled and he saw himself hug her…_

_The real Syaoran gasped and stared in disbelief…would he ever do that?Did he actually care for the girl that was supposed to be his rival?_

__

"Not always…" Shinji's voice broke Syaoran's daydream."Lately, we have been noticing the Clow Cards acting rather strangely.They seem…more angry…aggressive.We haven't been able to find out what is causing their erratic behavior as of yet."

Eriol nodded."It must be the enemy…they have found a way to change the Clow Cards actions.This will make them harder to capture."

Sakura's eyes bent in a frown, as Tomoyo cried for her daughter.Sakura knew she'd be doing the same thing if it were either of her children in Akiko's place.Something had to be done.But what?

Shinji sighed in dismay.He watched Meeko look down at her friend in worry.He hated when she was sad.Her smile was something that could make him happy no matter what the circumstances.He had to do something about this…he wouldn't do it just for Akiko…he'd do it for Meeko.To see her smile once more.

Shinji looked up to Syaoran."Li-san, how did you capture Dream?"

Syaoran thought back."I froze time with the Time card and Sakura captured it."

Shinji withheld a curse."We don't have Time yet."

"I do."Sakura held up the Sakura Card Time."Key that hides forces of stars! Show your true shape to me! I, Sakura, command you under the contract! Release!"Her familiar star key twirled and transformed in her staff and she spun it around."Time!"A yellow light covered everything and the magic users, all except Tomoyo, looked around.

There.On Akiko's shoulder, a blue butterfly sat and glowed with its baby blue aura, haunting the child in her sleep.

Syaoran turned to his daughter."Now!"

Meeko nodded and took out her own key."Key of Clow, bestowed by right.Surrender the wand, surrender the Light!Release!"Her wand appeared before her and she faced Dream head on."Dream Card!Return to the shape you were meant to be!"Dream was sucked into a card…but soon electricity filled the card, and it exploded, throwing Meeko into the far wall.

Sakura recalled Time, and Shinji ran over to help Meeko up.

"What happened?"Makoto asked.

Eriol thought for a moment."The power that is making Dream so aggressive, makes it impossible to use Sakura Cards against it.The second set of Clow Cards is needed.

"Then we need to find Time."Shinji said.

Syaoran nodded."But where…"

And there lays the problem.

Eriol had decided a while ago, that it would be best if Tomoyo not be present with Akiko, because Akiko's conditioned only worsened as time past.They knew they couldn't just walk up and call out Time's name to make it appear.They had to think of another way.

Shinji, Makoto, and Meeko stayed in the room with Akiko, all refusing to leave.Shinji held Meeko in his arms, she was fast asleep, her face covered in dried tears.She was worried for her friend; that was unarguable.Shinji had held her as her body shook with sobs.Akiko's body worsened, and no one saw a solution.

Shinji glanced at the clock.Six o'clock.Three hours since they had awaken.The Night before had really tired them out, and they slept for a good 6 hours…not much, but it was enough.Suddenly, Shinji felt a Clow Card's presence.He motioned for Meeko to wake up, and got Makoto's attention.They stood up and made a barrier around Akiko.They wouldn't let anything happen to her.

The room was filled with wind, and the cardcaptors took out their weapons, Shinji standing in front of Meeko and Akiko, staff held out in front of him.Through the open window, an old looking man in a brownish green robe, holding an hourglass with yellow colored sand.

"Time!"Shinji shouted in recognition.

Time smiled and held up the hourglass.The sand was nearly all at the bottom."Oh no!"Makoto said, knowing full well when it got to the bottom, time would repeat itself.

Shinji frowned. "But…he can only do that at midnight I thought."

"Well these are the second set…maybe he can anyway."

"Do you boys really want to test that theory or capture this card!"Meeko shouted."Fly!"Her wings came out of her back and she flew into the air, towards Time. 

"Meeko! No!"Shinji warned, unveiling his own wings and flying after her.

"Arrow!!"Meeko called out and the bow formed in her hand.She pulled back the strong and release one arrow that split into 20 all aimed at Time.

Time looked at her and placed a gnarled hand over the hourglass.The sand stopped, along with Meeko and Shinji in midair, the arrows as well."Huh?"Meeko asked in amazement.

"He…froze time."Shinji managed.

Another spell casts and the Time moved out of the way as the arrows flew past him, and hit the wall, time being sped up.Meeko was thrown into disarray and flew at the wall at a very fast speed.Shinji went with the speed and grabbed Meeko around the waist and turned around in midair, crashing into the wall, back first, cushioning a fall that would have knocked Meeko unconscious.

They fell to the ground, Shinji refusing to let Meeko go.Makoto growled and charged in at Time, using Dash, but it was too late.The sand ran out and everything reversed itself…

Shinji looked around and gasped."No…not again…"

There in front of him stood Eriol…eyes red as hell.And besides him Hitori sneered at the cardcaptors.

"He…he sent us back."Meeko whispered.

Akiko moved in and attacked her father, just like the night before.

"She doesn't notice?"Makoto asked in wonder.

Shinji frowned and dodged an attack from Hitori."Something's not right here."Usually any Magic user sent back into the past would know the difference, but here…Syaoran, Sakura, the guardians, they didn't seem to stop.Everything repeated itself exactly the way it had before.

The only ones who noticed anything was himself, Meeko and Makoto, Shinji found this odd.What were they going to do?They had to get back to the present day and save Akiko.Shinji received a blow to his side, with Hitori's weapon.He fell to the ground and Hitori kneed him in the mouth, he flew back.

Meeko growled and took a bunch of Hitori's hair and slammed her head in the wall."Never touch Shinji, you hear me!?"

Makoto went over to Shinji and helped him up."She's got quite a temper."

Makoto chuckled."You should see father mad."

They sighed and ran back into battle.They would have to think of something _after_ taking care of this.

Back at Tomoyo's house, the adults decided to go back upstairs and check up on their children, only to find them…gone!

Sakura and Syaoran ran to the wall and saw the 20 arrows embedded in the wall.Tomoyo ran to Akiko to check if she was all right, and Eriol went to the window."Clow Ka-do no kehai." (I sense a Clow Card)

Syaoran walked over to the reincarnated Clow Reed."Time?"

Eriol nodded.

"Where are the children?"Sakura questioned worriedly.

Eriol turned to her."In the past."

Meeko and Makoto saw Eriol and Hitori come after them, so Meeko did what she had done before.She took out Light."Light!"She shouted, Makoto grasping her and adding in his power.

The shadows came out, Eriol and Hitori collapsed, and Abbadon, made his debut.

"I don't to relive this."Meeko whimpered.

Shinji knew what would happen next and tried in vein to stop it."Hitori!Look out!"He ran to her, but was blasted back from reaching her.

Makoto gasped and saw Time hidden in the corner."Look!"He pointed Time out to Shinji, who nodded.

"Thunder!"He blasted Time and the hourglass fell to the ground.Meeko narrowed her eyes.

"Glow!"Bright light surrounded Time, who howled in pain.She would have used Light, but she was too weak to try using it again.

Makoto came forward and Time tried to run away."Loop!"Time ran, but ended up running right back to where he was originally, where Meeko stood ready."Time!Return to the shape you were meant to be!Time!"Time reverted to a Clow Card and flew to Shinji's hand.

"Huh?Why do I get it?"He wondered.

"You did the most damage…even Time can't outrun Lightning."Makoto smirked."Can we go home now?"

Shinji nodded."Time!Return us to our original time!"He spun his staff around and struck the card.The three were surrounded in a green light and disappeared from the room, as it began to cave in.

Sakura and Syaoran gasped as the children materialized in the room.Shinji was a little weak and staggered a bit, needing Meeko to steady him."How's Akiko?"He managed.

Tomoyo shook her head sadly."We're loosing her."She held back a sob.

Makoto's blood grew cold."No!"He ran to her side._I won't let you leave me!_

Meeko heard his words and sniffed.

Shinji took a deep breath and took out the Time once more.

Meeko gasped."No!Don't…"

"Time!"He shouted, and the room was surrounded in the yellow light.

Makoto looked down at Akiko._Come on!You have to fight this!_

_ _

Inside her dream, Akiko continued to see the images of Fiery attacking Makoto, Meeko, and Shinji.They fought back, yet didn't know what to do.Meeko was blasted by Fiery and blown back into a tree. 

"No!!"Akiko screamed._I…I can't help them…_

_Come on!You have to fight this!_She heard Makoto.But what was going on?

Then she realized it.This wasn't real!They were supposed to be asleep now…back at her house…in her room, sleeping.She remembered hearing her father's voice in the background, mumbling apologies to her for what he had done.

She would fight this. It was a dream!With new determination, she held her staff out in front of her, regardless of the countless burns she had on her body.She knew what this was.It was a Clow Card!

"Dream!Release me now!"The scene before her disappeared, and blackness filled her vision.

Back in the real world, Makoto watched Akiko's eyes flutter open and she gasped, like she was just breathing for the first time.

Makoto cried happy tears."You're okay!"

Meeko jumped in, seeing Dream trying to escape."Dream!Return to the shape you were meant to be!"Dream was sealed and flew to Akiko, who had been the one to conquer it.

Time resumed and everyone sighed in relief and went back to healing Akiko from her injuries, and Shinji, who had passed out from energy use.Eriol sat by his daughter's and wife's side, glad that they were both safe.

Syaoran looked outside the window and frowned.Their enemy wasn't going to be too happy.

Abbadon roared in anger, making Fushuku fly and hit the cavern wall."How could they?!They are more powerful then I thought.And that power grows with each capture.Yet only two elements have been caught, so I am safe for now.The future has shifted a bit, yet I will triumph and the underworld will merge with this one!And those brats will not be able to stop me!!"He laughed and Fushuku cowered._What have I gotten myself into…?_


	25. A Day of Poetry

Second Generation Cardcaptors 25

Akiko: Man, oh, man.Last time was…well it was a nightmare!I was trapped in a makeshift hell Tomoyo: *gasps* Akiko!Watch your language!Akiko: Nani? I heard Dad say it was a place that creature was from. Tomoyo: *glares at Eriol* You use that kind of language around our daughter??? Eriol *swallows hard* Um…well, you see…I was really talking with Syaoran about Abbadon and well… Tomoyo:I don't want to hear it!You should be _ashamed_ of yourself for using such language around our daughter!Eriol: *cowers away from mad wife* Akiko: *giggles* Well, That was cause of Dream, and Shinji went to get Time to save me.I'll have to thank him later…if I get the chance…With that dream…I don't know _if_ I will get the chance…let's just hope I am wrong.

Akiko lay in bed, eyes closed, trying to remember her dream.If it was of the future, she wanted to remember all she could.Maybe then she could save her friends.

She reentered the dream, except this time, the heat didn't actually harm her.She was still healing from the last confrontation with Dream.Although, something had gone wrong then, and her dream had become real, in a sense.Scorching her skin in real life, from what she was experiencing in the dream.

Akiko looked around her and saw Makoto, Shinji, and Meeko all fighting Fiery.Fiery attacked them with red eyes flashing brightly.She was still acting strangely, and Akiko didn't know why.

She saw Makoto turn and see his sister barely get saved by Shinji from a large flame attack from the rogue Clow Card.Akiko saw it coming…but Makoto didn't.

"Makoto!!!"Akiko yelled.Makoto turned, but couldn't move out of the way in time. 

"Oniichan!!"Meeko screamed from the air.

The Clow Card's attack hit Makoto head on.Akiko screamed, but when the attack was gone…so was her love.Burned into ashes before her eyes.

Akiko sat up with a jolt in bed, her sheets sticking to her body in a wet mass around her.She whipped her head of perspiration, and tried to catch her breath.She had seen Makoto's death.Was that what the future held?She hoped not.

"Akiko!Time to get ready for school!"Tomoyo's voice rang out.

"Hai!"With that, Akiko brushed the dream aside in her mind and got ready for school.

Meeko and Makoto entered the classroom and were greeted by their classmates, including Akiko and Shinji.Meeko blushed as she took her seat in front of Shinji, who smiled at her.Akiko took her seat and smiled at Makoto, who blushed and turned away to hide it.Akiko frowned.Did he like her?Or was he trying to avoid her?She wished she knew.

Meeko giggled at something Shinji said to her and Akiko sighed.She wished Makoto and her were like that.Just then, Mizuki Sensei came in and smiled at her relatives, Meeko and Makoto.Standing at the front of the class at the podium, the red haired women smiled."Hope everyone had a good weekend."Taking a glance at the four cardcaptors she added."Well, most of you."They grimaced.She obviously knew _something_ had happened that weekend."Today we are going to start with Japanese."The class groaned.Her yellowish eyes glistened with mischief."Oh come on.It won't be that bad."She insisted."All you have to do is pick a partner and create an original piece of poetry."The class brightened at hearing this, and set to work on getting their partners.

Shinji and Meeko automatically picked each other and Akiko sighed and looked around for her partner.She knew Makoto couldn't…

"Ano…Akiko?"

Akiko turned around and gasped."M-Makoto!N-nani?"

Makoto shuffled his feet."Would you…like…to um…be my partner?"

Akiko smiled widely at hearing this and nodded enthusiastically."Hai!"

Sakura, Syaoran, Eriol and his wife, Tomoyo, sat in the Li household's living room.They were debating whither to fight Abbadon or stand by and watch their children attempt to take him and his servant, Madoushi, alone.

"Well, isn't it obvious that we should help?"Sakura said worriedly.She didn't like the idea of Meeko or Makoto going up against Abbadon at all.

Eriol sighed."You are thinking like a mother, Sakura.You are the Clow Card Mistress…"

"I _know_ my role in this, Eriol."She glared at him."Thank you." She finished coldly.

Syaoran, who had been pacing back and forth behind the couch Sakura sat in, came down and sat next to his beloved."Now, no need to get harsh with each other.It's obvious the rules have changed in this matter, ne Eriol?"He glanced at the reincarnation of Clow Reed.

Eriol nodded."Hai, this…combining that has occurred was not counted on.In fact it was prayed against.The children were meant to capture the cards first.Not attempt to go up against the demon himself."

Sakura growled."Well then the answer is clear!We have to help our children!Or do you suggest we stand by and watch them die?"Syaoran placed a hand on Sakura's arm, giving her a pleading gaze to calm down.

Eriol stiffened at the suggestion."Of course I am not advising that, I am just saying our next steps need to be careful.I have already sent Spinel Sun, Kero and Nakuru to keep an eye on Fushuku and Abbadon.We need to know what they are going to do next, in order to take appropriate action against it."Eriol took a sideways glance at his wife."Daijobu, koibito?" (Koibito = sweetheart)

Tomoyo glanced up sadly and sighed."I just feel like I'd be getting in the way, 'cause I am the only one here without magical powers."

Sakura frowned in worry for her childhood friend."Iie, Tomoyo.You have always found ways of helping us and ensuring victory."She insisted.

Tomoyo's violet eyes met Sakura's green ones."Hai, I know.Demo, this is different.I need to be more…powerful, if possible, to render aide when you guys need me again."

Syaoran leaned forward and smirked."Do you want to learn to fight?"

Tomoyo gasped and looked up, shocked."N-nani?"

"Fighting, you know…punches, kicks, swords, that kind of…"

"I know what you mean."She cut him off."Can you do that?"

Syaoran's mouth fell open in mock shock."Can I…do that?Do you know who you are talking to?"Tomoyo smirked, as if knowing where this was going to lead."I'll teach you…if you want to learn."He held out his hand.

Tomoyo's smile broadened and she took his hand, and shook it firmly. "Hai, I'm in."

Eriol smiled and nodded."This will be a great idea.I need to teach you a few things too, Sakura."

Sakura groaned."And here I thought all my testing was over."

Syaoran laughed and rubbed Sakura's back."Daijobu.We'll use our training room."

Sakura sighed."Hai."

In Abbadon's cave…

"Fushuku!"Abbadon roared.

The sorcerer came hustling into the throne area."H-hai master?"He bowed his respects.

"I wish for two more cards to be…influenced."He commanded, giving the names of the two cards.(Like I am going to say them and ruin the juicy plot?NOT!"

Fushuku nodded and made ready to leave.

"Matte!"Abbadon stopped Fushuku cold in his tracks with a simple wave of his hand."Create a distraction for the parents as well.If you destroy them; all the better. Here." He tossed Fushuku and strange black and gold ring, and then released Fushuku who smiled.

"As you wish master."Then he left the cave.

Back at school…

Meeko and Shinji were seated underneath one of the cherry blossom trees outside in the courtyard.Mizuki sensei had thought it best to write the poetry in and around nature.The kids agreed to this whole-heartedly.Akiko sat on the school's small brick wall, notebook in hand, and pencil against her chin in thought."What should we right about?"

Makoto paced back and forth before her on the ground, hands at the small of his back, deep in thought."I don't know, honestly.I was never one for poetry."

"Well, what kinds of things do you like?"Akiko asked, trying to find something to write about.

"You."Makoto replied on instinct, then caught himself and clamped a hand over his mouth.Akiko herself was in shock and gasped.

Makoto turned red."I mean…eto…hoe…" He copied his mother's expression.

Shinji gave a suggestion to Meeko and she nodded happily."That sounds great!"Then she bent over her own notepad and wrote it down.She finished it with a sharp period, and looked up."You are a natural!"

Shinji blushed."Well, I did have help…"

_An eight-year-old Shinji walked around in a large library and noticed one book that was open on the study table.He carefully walked over to it and looked at the characters, written in Chinese, thought that proved no problem to him._

_"The day I met you I knew you were special…your hair flew in the wind and made me sigh.I wished you liked me, but that was not true…if destiny shalt not see it through, I might as well die."Shinji read._

_"What are you doing?"A stone cold voice came from behind Shinji._

_Shinji gasped and whipped around to find Yue standing there, tall and foreboding._

_Shinji struggled to find an answer."Oh, well I was…um…"_

_"Were you reading this?"Yue said, picking up the book from the table._

_Shinji looked down in defeat."H-hai."_

_"Do you know what it was for?"_

_Shinji looked up shocked that his father wasn't mad at him."H-hai."He stuttered again._

_Yue smiled in memory."I wrote these when I first met your mother.Truth be told she was not interested in me, but Touya, which was understandable."Shinji frowned in confusion, and Yue quickly continued.Those questions would be answered later."Anyways, I was in love with her and when I found out about her other form, I knew we were meant to be.And by then, she knew it too."_

_Shinji smiled."And you kept this book all these years?"_

_Yue nodded, closed the book, and handed it over to his son."Now it's yours."_

_Shinji gasped and took the book.A smile crept onto his face."Arigatou."_

_"Do itashimashte." (You're welcome)Came the reply._

_ _

__"And that's how I know so much about poetry.He wrote some really sweet pieces."Shinji finished his tale to Meeko.

Meeko smiled."That was so kawaii!Do you still have it?"She questioned.

Shinji blushed.Yes, he had it, but now it was full of poems about her, the love of _his_ life.But he wasn't going to let her see those."H-hai I still have it.Demo I'll show it to you another time."

Meeko nodded in acceptance of the answer he produced."Okay."

Akiko wrote down the last line of the poem and smiled."Great work!"She glanced at the boy besides her, who hadn't spoken a word except maybe a line here and there for the play."Still in shock?"She teased.

Makoto glanced up. "N-nani?"

Akiko sighed."Listen, if you didn't mean to I underst-…"

Makoto took her hand, cutting her off. "Iie, I don't mind.I am glad you know now."He confessed.

Akiko blushed at his touch and turned her head."H-hontou ni?"

"Hai."He replied and slowly bent in to kiss her cheek, but she turned and both were surprised, when their lips met in a quick kiss, before Makoto pulled back in shock and accidentally fell from the wall.

Akiko gasped and jumped down besides him. "Daijobu?"She asked worriedly.

Makoto got up and rubbed his sore behind."H-hai."

Akiko giggled."I…I like you too."

Makoto's head shot up. "Nani?"

Akiko giggled and held his hand. "Hai."

Both blushed, but neither one moved.

From behind their hiding place, Meeko and Shinji giggled and high fived.Finally!Meeko had felt her brother's strange feelings change and sought him out to discover him and Akiko kissing!She only wished she had her camera with her!

"Don't worry."Shinji had said in a whisper.From behind his back, he produced a small digital camera."Akiko asked me to hold it for her."Meeko gasped.Shinji smirked."She never said anything about _not_ using it."

Meeko moved away from their hiding space and smiled widely."I am glad he finally told her.I thought I was going to have to blackmail him to tell her!"

"You are going to have more problems than that coming up."Both youths whirled around and faced Mizuki sensei."I feel a power coming.It is unstable."

Meeko frowned."A Clow Card?"

Mizuki Kaho nodded."Hai, be on your guard, and tell your brother."

To that, Shinji and Meeko readily agreed.

Thrust, parry, thrust, parry, the cycle continued and each time, Syaoran landed imaginary hits on Tomoyo's form that she left exposed with her own sword.She sighed and whipped sweat from her forehead."I don't think this is working."She said sadly.

Syaoran came up, a small bead of sweat ran down the side of his face, but he was not out of breath."Don't worry.Not everyone fights with a sword."He gestured with his sword to the dueling pair at the other side of the room.There, Eriol and Sakura, fought with staffs and Sakura blocked an attack by Eriol and did a counter stroke right after.

Tomoyo shook her head."You want me…to try with that?"She looked at Syaoran with an eyebrow raised, while the warrior went to the weapons rack and took down two staffs.Tomoyo handed Syaoran the sword, which he replaced to the rack, and sheathed his own. 

"These aren't that heavy."Syaoran handed her the weapon, which she quickly tried to familiarize herself with.He twisted and turned his around a few times, and faced Tomoyo once again.

Tomoyo swallowed hard and held the staff in two hands.Syaoran began the instruction."Okay, now there are 3 levels of defense.There is close up, middle, and an outer circle."He explained, showing her where each of the sphere's lay."You use different moves when each area is attacked.Say I attack here…" He swung the staff and stopped about an inch from her side."To defend against that, you block like this."Again he demonstrated for her.

While Syaoran taught Tomoyo, Eriol showed Sakura a few moves himself.Eriol swung the staff around expertly and suddenly charged in to Sakura, who was ready.He came in low and fast, attempting to trip the Card Mistress at her ankles, but Sakura had her own plans.She jumped into the air twisted and used the staff, in mid air; to slam down hard on Eriol's back.She landed behind him and he staggered.

Quickly recovering Eriol swiped the staff behind him, hitting Sakura in the side.She smirked as the staff was against her side and called out a card."Power!"A pink aura surrounded her and she held onto the staff and heaved it up, bringing Eriol into the air with it.He cried out in surprise and went flying into the training wall, which was padded.He slumped to the floor in a tired heap and looked at Sakura from his upside down viewpoint."You've…gotten better."

Sakura smiled and held out her hand to help the sorcerer."Of course you know I've been training with the best China has." 

Eriol got up and nodded, bowing to the card mistress to signify the end of the match."And we have the best in Japan here in our presence as well."

Sakura giggled, then gasped as she felt strong hand come around her waist."Japan?Try the world."Syaoran said, kissing Sakura on the neck, making her squirm, her one tickle spot.

A/N: If you liked this chapter, please do me a favor and go check out my friend's story "A Dragon's Legend." It's an Escaflowne fic by Cool Fire Bird, which we all know is an awesome writer, so go and read it!


	26. Up High/ Down Low

Second Generation Cardcaptors 26

Sakura: Last time, the four children had some fun with an assignment they had at school.Makoto finally confessed his feelings to Akiko, which brings me great joy.Akiko, beforehand was trying to understand a dream she had, one which showed Makoto getting hurt.Let's just hope that never happens.

Meeko and Shinji made their way up to the front of the class.Meeko had a smile on her face, and Shinji gentle reached down and held her hand.

"Next we have Meeko and Shinji reading their poem."Mizuki Sensei introduced.

Meeko and Shinji held one paper and read off their own lines…

My Love Goodbye

The sky is blue

And so am I

For the one I love

Has said goodbye

I never told her

What I felt for him

Who will protect her?

When things look grim?

I didn't want to leave

But they made him, I know

I promise to return

I'll feel his aura glow

So until that day

I'll wait patiently

We will be together

He'll return to me.

The class applauded the two, and Makoto frowned at his sister._Where did you think this up?_

__Meeko smiled back at her brother as she and Shinji took their seats._Shinji thought up the rhyme, while I based it on stories mom and dad told us about the time dad went home for a while._

Makoto smirked._You do know that if they find out you wrote something like that, they won't be very happy._

__Meeko shrugged._They don't have to find out then…_

__"Next up, we have Akiko and Makoto."Mizuki Sensei said

Makoto took a deep breath and Akiko took his hand and help him come up to the stage._Don't worry, you'll do fine._She encouraged, using her new skill to communicate with her love.

Makoto nodded and together he and Akiko held their paper.Clearing their voices, the started the duel poem…

Nature's Sole Possessions

The birds that chirp

The sun that shines

The wind that blows

Are nature's divines

Solemn and sweet

An endless calm

The monarch butterfly

That lands on my palm

What peace is this?

Bestowed to me

Can it last forever?

Or is it not meant to be?

Wars and fighting

Death, a common sight

Desire to grow wings and leave

On a mystic flight

Meeko and Shinji gave a standing ovation, while the rest of the class also gave their applause.Makoto smiled and Akiko beamed.They took their seat and Makoto took a sigh in relief.Akiko smiled at his composure and leaned forward."You did great."She whispered.

Makoto grinned and turned partially to his side."Thanks to you."He replied.

Akiko blushed and turned her face to the paper in front of her, to hide it.

Makoto chuckled quietly, and as the rest of the class gave their poems, he took out a piece of paper and wrote something down.Quickly he handed it to Akiko, who opened it up and read it.She gasped quite loudly.

Mizuki Sensei looked to Akiko and raised an eyebrow, but left it at that.Akiko was in nothing less than shock.Meeko looked over at her friend with a frown.Akiko handed the paper to Meeko, who read it and had the same reaction, but just hide it well.Shinji peered over her shoulder and chuckled."Finally."

Meeko looked over at her brother, who had buried his face in his arms, to hide his bright red face.The note read…

Akiko, will you go out with me?

_So, you finally asked her out?_Meeko asked her brother.

Makoto's head shot up and he looked over at his sister.She smiled and held up the note.Makoto groaned and buried his head back in his arms.Meeko looked over at Akiko and nodded.

Akiko took out a piece of paper and wrote a response.She handed it to Makoto who lifted his head to read it.

Of course I will.I thought you'd never ask!We'll

talk about the place later, ne?

Makoto smiled, his blush fading from his face, but he mentally screamed. _She said yes!She said yes!She said yes!_

__Meeko heard this and couldn't help but burst out in laughter.In which everyone turned to looks at her strangely and she waved her hand to dismiss the commotion.

Walking home from school, the four came to their crossroads and said goodbye to go their own houses.Akiko leaned in and gave Makoto a kiss on the cheek, before her and Shinji went off one way, and Meeko and Makoto went towards their house.

Meeko looked at her brother's dreamy expression and giggled."So just what are you thinking over there bro?"

Makoto blinked and came back to reality for a second."N-nani?"

Meeko shook her head."I am glad you finally asked her out."

Makoto blushed, despite himself."Yeah well, I do like her."

Meeko giggled more and kept walking."So where do you plan to go?"No response.Meeko turned around."Makoto?"She couldn't see him anywhere."Where are you?"She looked around.

_I'm right here…what do you mean?_Makoto replied mentally.

Meeko looked down at the ground and gasped.All she saw was her brother's shadow!"Makoto!What happened!?"She went down on her hands and knees and touched the ground where the shadow was, and her brother wasn't.

Makoto blinked a few times and saw he couldn't see his body!_What happened!!?_

__Meeko was a little panicked."I don't know!"Okay, really panicked.She started to cry.Her attention split like it was, another card decided to take advantage of her.A pink blow surrounded Meeko and she gasped as she began to float up into the air.

She pulled out her cards."Fly!"She hit it with her wand, which was now out and tried to release the card.But instead, the glow of the card increased and Meeko wasn't going anywhere.Strangely, she felt her energy leave her and she collapsed in the bubble, as she rose higher in the air.

She had to get out and help her brother.

She and Makoto got the same idea at the same time._Shinji!!_ Meeko screamed.

_Akiko!!_ Makoto shouted.

Back at Syaoran's and Sakura's home…

Tomoyo and the rest were coming out of the basement, when they sensed some magical disturbance outside."What could that be?"Sakura asked her husband.

"Trouble."He replied, narrowing his eyes.

The four went outside and were disturbed to see Fushuku standing on their lawn."What are you doing here?"Eriol demanded.

Fushuku smiled."Master Abbadon wishes to give you a present."The black ring on his hand began to glow and out of the ground, came 3 giant horse people, called centaurs, two male and one female.The men welded swords, and the woman had a staff.

"N-nani!?"Tomoyo asked, bringing up her staff, which she still had in her hand from earlier.

"Demons…from the underworld.Abbadon's slaves."Eriol explained, calling out his staff, while Syaoran and Sakura called out their weapons.Eriol quickly used a spell to put anyone who was in a close proximity to sleep.

Fushuku turned to the hellish creations."Uragiri!Nikushimi!Dokeki!Attack them!" (Uragiri (the only female) = treachery, Nikushimi = hate, and Dokeki = venom)

The three centaurs turned to the four adults and their eyes glowed red.Then suddenly, they charged forward and attacked.

Uragiri attacked Sakura, Nikushimi attacked Syaoran, and Dokeki took on both Eriol and Tomoyo, who had decided to fight.

Sakura called out both Power and Sword to use against Uragiri.Of course since Uragiri was about twice as tall as Sakura, she called out Big as well.Uragiri came in low and fast, sweeping with her staff to try and trip Sakura.Sakura bounded forward and flipped in the air, striking down with her sword and slicing Uragiri's back.Uragiri growled in pain and bucked back her rear two hooves to kick Sakura off to the side and into a tree.

"Sakura!"Syaoran cried and blocked a blow from Nikushimi.Nikushimi was fierce and Syaoran had a hard time landing any strikes."Blasted animal!"He threw his sword forward and lightning lashed out to wrap around Nikushimi.Nikushimi reared back ad tried to throw the lightning off him, unsuccessfully of course.

Syaoran took this opportunity to run to his beloved.

Eriol and Tomoyo were having troubles of their own.Dokeki was able to fend both of them off, and still counterstrike!Eriol raised his staff in the air and red fireballs came racing out.Dokeki was not impressed however.He simply used his sword and deflected them to the side.

Tomoyo came up with an idea and used her staff to deliver a painful blow to Dokeki's arm, making his sword off target and Eriol landed a few blows. 

Uragiri and Nikushimi stood together as Syaoran helped his wife to her feet.Both nodding, they threw their hands forward and casts spells of hate and mistrust into the cardcaptors.

Sakura and Syaoran both glowed black for a moment before Sakura abruptly threw Syaoran off her."I don't need your help!"She raised her sword against Syaoran.

Syaoran growled."Oh what, you think I haven't risked my neck saving your butt a million times at least!?I should be Clow Card Master!Not you!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes."We will see about that!"She took a step forward and attacked Syaoran.

Right when Akiko was about to enter her mansion, with Shinji at the gate, waiting for her to be safely inside, both stiffened and looked at each other.As if on instinct, both dropped their backpacks and ran back towards their friends.

"What do you think has happened!?"Akiko asked running.

"It's a Clow Card!Mizuki Sensei warned us about earlier!"Shinji yelled and ran full speed, Akiko at his side, to where they saw Meeko high in the sky."Meeko!!!"He shouted.

Calling upon his wings, Shinji raised up into the air, putting his arms straight against his sides, increasing his speed, ten fold.He came up to Meeko, rising slowly but surely, and saw her eyes half open, and her aura fairly weak."What happened?"He asked.

Meeko moaned and tried to get out the words."M-ma...koto."She weakly pointed to the ground, where Akiko had discovered the shadow of her loved one.

"Makoto.What's happened to you?"She choked on the verge of crying.

Makoto's form was lying on the ground, also being drained of his powers."S-shadow…" He whispered.He was breathing heavily now.

Akiko was very worried._There's no way I am loosing him after finally knowing that he likes me back._She set her face with determination and looked up to Shinji."Shinji!Come here!"

Shinji looked at Meeko."I'll be right back.Don't worry."He kissed the outside of the bubble and traced his hand on the outside of Meeko's before diving back down."Any ideas as to what the heck is going on here?"He asked Akiko as he touched down on the ground again.

Akiko looked over at Makoto."He says it is Shadow."She told him.

Shinji looked up at Meeko, encased in the pink bubble."Then that has to be Float."He deduced."We have to free her from it."

Akiko nodded and tried to think of a way."What about Sword?"

Shinji nodded and took out his card."Sword!"His staff turned into a sword and he flew up to Meeko.He let out a battle cry and sliced at the bubble.It hid the Float, but it didn't slice through it."Nani!"Shinji exclaimed.

Meeko moaned as her energy continued to leave her."Forget it, Shinji-kun…leave me…I'll be fine."She coughed and laid her head down again.

Shinji growled and punched at the bubble."Iie!I won't stop until you are safely in my arms again, Meeko.I care too much about you."He looked at sword and struck at Float again.Nothing."If only this had more power!"

Down on the ground, Akiko got an idea.Power?"Shinji!"She got his attention and took out her staff and card."Power!"The little girl in pink appeared before Akiko and she blinked."Combine with Sword and release Meeko from Float's power!"

Power nodded and dissolved into a pink stream that rose into the air and surrounded Shinji with Sword.Shinji glared at the bubble encasing his love."Sword!"He struck at Float, and this time was rewarded when Float ripped open and released Meeko, who fell right into Shinji's arms.

On the ground, Akiko held her staff in her hands. "To Thy true form!!Float!!"Float was sealed in a card and was rewarded to Akiko.

Shinji came down to the ground and held Meeko close to him."Good work.Arigatou."He bowed his thanks to Akiko.

"What about Makoto?"Akiko asked worriedly, seeing Makoto's shadow on the floor, just lying there still.

Shinji glanced worriedly at his friend."I'm not sure…why would Shadow act like this?"

Akiko frowned."It has to be that demon guy's fault."

Meeko slowly opened her eyes."M-Makoto…d-daijobu?"

_Meeko…I feel, so weak…_Came his reply.

Meeko slowly reached into her pocket and pulled out a card.Shinji saw this and gasped."Iie, Meeko, you are too weak!"

Meeko would hear none of it."L-Light…chase away the shadows…Light."

Light was released and Shadow had to release its hold on Makoto to pull itself together and hide away from Light.Shinji placed Meeko on the ground carefully, who was now passed out."It's not enough."He took out his own card."Thunder!"Thunder came out and Shadow recoiled as the brightness from the two cards grew.Shinji raised his staff into air. "Shadow!To thy true form!"Shadow was sealed with a mighty howl and rewarded to Shinji."Thank goodness that's over."He said.

Akiko ran over to Makoto, who was nearly passed out on the floor, but at least they could see him this time."M-Makoto, you okay?"She asked carefully.

Makoto opened his eyes and a smile appeared on his face."Daijobu desu ka."He replied.Akiko sniffed and buried her head in his chest, giving him a nice hug.

"I was so worried for you!"Akiko sniffed.

Makoto wrapped her in a warm hug."Don't worry.You really think I'd leave you, after all the time it took to ask you out?"

Akiko looked up and giggled, then Makoto kissed her forehead."Guess not."

Eriol and Tomoyo worked together and slowly wore Dokeki down until he fell to his knees, well his front ones anyway, and Tomoyo landed a defining blow to his head, knocking him out cold.

Eriol turned to see Sakura and Syaoran attacking each other, while Uragiri and Nikushimi watched with amusement as their spells worked beautifully.Eriol ran to the two centaurs, while Tomoyo ran to Sakura and Syaoran.

"What are you doing?You guys are married!Best friends forever!Why are you attacking each other?"She demanded.

"He was in my way!"Sakura shouted and flicked out her right foot in a roundhouse that was blocked by Syaoran.

"She doesn't deserve to be Clow Card Mistress!She's weak!"Syaoran said, counterstriking with an upper cut which Sakura juked out of the way from.

Tomoyo couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"It's a spell!"Eriol said, using a new spell that released a black ribbon around the last two centaurs."They have to break free of it!"

Tomoyo had a worried expression in her young features.Then an idea came to her.She ran over and tackled Sakura, quickly going into her pockets and grabbing the cards.

Sakura threw Tomoyo off and growled and she jumped to her feet."What do you think you're doing!?"Sakura shouted.

Tomoyo moaned and got to her feet.She frantically searched threw the cards, until she found the one she wanted."Love!"

Love was released and small red and pink light fell on Sakura and Syaoran.They blinked and looked around."W-what happened?"They asked simultaneously.

Eriol let out a cry as the ribbon broke and the centaurs were set free.

Tomoyo cried out."Eriol!"

Shaking their heads once more, Sakura and Syaoran turned their combined efforts against the two centaurs.

Fushuku was watching all this in amusement, when Abbadon's voice boomed in his head."Return!Those brats have won once more.We must regroup!"

Fushuku growled and recalled the three centaurs, then disappeared himself.

When everyone was together again, all at Tomoyo's mansion, since Sakura and Syaoran's front lawn was being replanted, due to 'a small fire that broke out and scorched the entire front part of their house'.Meeko and Makoto were resting, and Shinji along with Akiko were with the parents, filling them in.Eriol nodded in understanding.

"He knows that if they get all the cards, he will be in threat of losing the keys to the abyss and therefore all the souls that have been trapped there."He explained.

"So who is he after?"Syaoran questioned.

"All of us.We all are a threat to him, since we all have the power to stop him."Clow Reed's reincarnation replied.

Tomoyo cleared her throat."Speaking of powers…" No one ever did have an explanation for why she was able to call out the Clow Card Love.

Eriol nodded again."I believe you were able to do that because you have some innate powers yourself.It was known that Nadeshiko had powers before Sakura, and I don't see why her mother couldn't have either.Therefore, maybe the magic skipped your mother, Tomoyo, yet bestowed itself upon you somehow."

Tomoyo nodded."Makes sense…sort of."

"The Cards are getting more aggressive."Shinji pointed out.

"Abbadon must be influencing them somehow."Yue replied.

Akiko frowned."Can't we stop him from influencing them?"

Eriol shook his head in a negative."Only if the cards are caught before he has the chance to get to them."

Sakura sighed in despair."Things never get easier."

Back at the cave…

Abbadon had a clawed finger to his chin."They are getting more powerful, and more connected to one another…we must stop them."

"Well if you had let me stay with the parents I could have finished them off!"Fushuku replied.

Abbadon grinned."That was only a distraction…the real fun will begin soon…and I only have to cast one spell to do it, and one of those puny Cardcaptors will parish."

Fushuku raised an eyebrow."Are you certain?"

"It has been prophesized so."

At the entrance to the cave, Nakuru, Suppi, and Kero all gasped.Whatever they have planned could not be good.

Nakuru motioned for Kero and Suppi to back up a little."We must tell Eriol."They all agreed and left to report.

Behind them, Abbadon held his hands together and in them, the image of a card appeared."One card…one death…" He said.The card's name faintly showed up at the bottom…

Fiery.

A/N: If you liked _this_ chapter, you also have to read my best bud's story "Truth and Destiny".It's an awesome story with great alternate reality story plots!You have to read it!Unless you want SGC to stop *smiles* Go and check it out, you won't be disappointed!


	27. Death Foretold

Second Generation Cardcaptors 27

Second Generation Cardcaptors 27

Shinji: Last time, Meeko and I read a poem that we wrote together in front of the class!Akiko and Makoto did the same and afterwards Makoto asked Akiko out on a date!I can't believe the little tike actually had the guts to ask her out.I'm glad though.Maybe we can make it a double date!*smiles*Anyways, after school, Meeko and Makoto were taken over by the Clow Cards Float and Shadow.Akiko and I, through our connections with the twins, found out and were able to save them.But Akiko knows something that she won't tell anyone.I wonder what that is…

Akiko saw Makoto die over and over again and cried out."Makoto!!"She shot up in bed, drenched in sweat, trying not to cry.She knew she needed to talk to someone about this.She quickly got dressed, thankful it was Saturday, and ran downstairs.

She ran into her mother, sitting at the dining room table, as the cook made breakfast."Mom, where's dad?"

Tomoyo looked up and smiled at her daughter."Ohayo, Akiko.I believe he's in the study."

Akiko nodded."Arigatou."She replied briefly and ran down to the large library in the basement.She went down there and saw her father sitting in his usual large maroon chair, reading a book."Otousan?"

Eriol looked up with a smiled."Ohayo, Akiko."But seeing her worried expression he frowned."What's the matter?"

Akiko bit her lip in hesitation and slowly walked up to her father."Ano…can you change fate?Change…the future?"

Eriol looked at her carefully."Well, if you know what the future is…sometimes you can change it.But you must be careful, because one false move and you might make things worse."He warned.

Akiko nodded and tried to think of the dream."Can you prevent things?"

Eriol nodded."Hai, if you stay focused and try to think of an alternative solution."

Akiko came up with an idea and hugged her father."Arigatou, I gotta go." Then she ran out of the study.

She ran up to her room once more and grabbed the phone.She dialed the number and waited for someone to answer.

_"Moshi, Moshi, Yukito speaking."_

"Ohayo gozaimas, Yukito-san.This is Akiko.Is Shinji-kun available?"Being as polite as she could be.

_"Hai, matte onegai."_

__Akiko waited, playing with the phone cord in all her nervousness and worry.She didn't have long to wait.

_"Akiko?Ohayo gozaimas.You are up early, ne?"_

__Akiko smiled."Hai, haven't been getting much sleep."

_"That dream?"_

__Akiko gasped. _How'd he know?_"H-hai, I…I need a favor."

_Anything, just name it._

__Akiko took a deep breath."I need an excuse to be by Makoto for most of the day.I have a bad feeling something's going to happen, and I need to be there."

_"Um…okay.You guys have a date today, ne?_

__Akiko gasped."That's right!Demo…I really don't remember where he said we were going."

_"I'm not sure he's name a place just yet.Matte let me try something…"_

__Akiko frowned."Alright."__

_ _

Meeko was combing her hair in the mirror when Makoto came out of the shower."Going somewhere special?"She teased, knowing full well what he was doing."

Makoto tried to hide his blush."Yeah well, I want this to be perfect."He said.

Meeko nodded in understanding."You'll do fine."She suppressed a laugh as Makoto had trouble working the knot of his tie."Here, let me help you."She got up and pulled the knot out and reworked it, until it fit neatly around his neck."There."

"Arigatou."

"So where you taking her?"

Makoto froze."Oh no!"

"Don't tell me you haven't thought of a place yet!"Meeko smacked her head with her hand."My brother's a baka brain!"

"I just never thought that far yet!"Makoto defended himself.

Meeko put her fists on her hips."Better think of something quickly."

Makoto sat down in one of the chairs and tried to think of such a place.Nothing came to mind."Hoe!I don't know!"

"Now you sound like mom!Stop that!"Meeko scolded.

Makoto was about to protest when the phone rang."Moshi, Moshi, Makoto speaking."

_"Makoto, this is Shinji.Hey, where are you taking Akiko today?"_

__Makoto gasped._How did he find out?_"Um…I'm not sure just yet.Got any ideas?

One the other end, Shinji smirked_."Hai, what about the fair that's in town?You can double date if you are unsure as to what to do, Meeko and I can come along.Your first date doesn't have to be alone."_

Makoto nodded."Alright, good plan."

_"Great, now can you pass the phone to Meeko so I can ask my girl out?"_

__Makoto chuckled."Your girl?Boy, you've fallen hard, ne?"

_"And you haven't?"_Shinji countered.

Makoto blushed and handed the phone over to his sister."Here, it's your boyfriend."

Meeko smiled and took the phone."Really?I thought you were talking to your _girlfriend _for a moment there."She smirked and sat down on her bed."Ohayo, Shinji-kun!"

Shinji smiled._ "Well, hello beautiful.Mind going with me on this wonderful day to the fair with your brother and his date?"_

__Meeko jumped for joy."I'd love to go anywhere with you."

_"Okay, let's say, noon then?"_

__Meeko nodded."Hai, ja ne."

_"Ja."_

Shinji clicked over and was talking to Akiko again."Can you go to the fair today?"

Akiko frowned._"Hai, I guess so, demo I have a date with Makoto…so how can I go anywhere with you?  
_Shinji laughed."You will be going with Makoto. Just hang up and you'll know what I mean."

_"Alright…I'll see you later."_

__"Indeed you will."

_"Ja ne."_

__Shinji hung up and his mother came up behind him. "Playing matchmaker again, son?"Nakuru asked, wearing a neat navy blue dress with a light pink apron.

Shinji nodded."Like always."Then he added."At least my girlfriend is my size."

Nakuru pouted."Yeah well, I could have been taller, but I wanted Touya-kun to be taller than me."She winked and left the room.

Shinji sighed."I just hope this works."

Akiko hung up the phone and no sooner had she set the receiver down, then it began to ring.She picked it up."Moshi, moshi, Akiko speaking."

_"Akiko?Would you like to make our date a double date and go to the fair?" _Makoto's voice came over the phone.

__Akiko gasped._Shinji…_She cleared her throat."I'd love to.What time?

_"Can we meet at your place, say…noon?"_Makoto replied, pretended to think about it.

"Hai, that'll be fine. See you then."

" 'Kay, bye."Then Makoto hung up.

Akiko smiled and hung up as well._You are slick, Shinji…I'll give you that much.Demo…at least I can keep an eye on him that way.Kami-sama, I don't know what I'll do, if he dies…_

__

Akiko, Meeko, Shinji, and Makoto, all stood before the entrance to the fair with eyes wide in amazement.Rides littered the whole area and people ran from game stand to game stand winning stuffed animals galore!Shinji and Makoto seemed unimpressed, but the girls immediately grabbed their respective guys hands and ran for the fair.

Meeko and Shinji went to the games stands, while Akiko and Makoto had fun on the rides.

"So…which do you want?"Shinji asked a smiling Meeko.Meeko looked at all the stuffed toys above the multicolored balloons that stuck to the wall, ready to be popped."Um…that one!"She pointed to a stuffed animal that was a cute little red bear that held a bright pink heart.

Shinji nodded. "You got it."He pulled his arm back that held the dart and threw it forward with acute aim, one balloon popped.Then he repeated this gesture with the other two darts and popped two more balloons.

The man inside smiled and reached up to pull down the bear.He shook his head with a smile."You got some aim there, kid."He handed it to Shinji, who bowed his thanks and turned to Meeko."Your toy, miss."

Meeko took it but Shinji held onto it and pulled her close to whisper in her ear."You will always hold my heart in your hands."

Meeko gasped and decided to quickly give Shinji a kiss on the cheek and run off to the corn dog stand.

Shinji was a little dumbfounded and had to regain his composer before running after the dark haired beauty.

Akiko had chosen a nice little teacup ride and Makoto and she were trying to see who could spin it faster.Akiko tried, but the wheel was so hard to spin.

Makoto smirked and took the wheel."Ready?"Akiko grasped the side of the teacup and nodded.Makoto spun the teacup and Akiko screamed with all her life.They spun and spun and afterwards, Makoto had to hold her up, because the world just would not stop spinning!(I wonder why?Although, I never really did like those rides.Ah well…)

Makoto giggled as he and Akiko sat down at a nearby bench.Makoto looked over at Akiko."Are you having fun?"

Akiko shook her head once more to clear it and nodded enthusiastically."A lot!Thank you so much!"She jumped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips.

Makoto was shocked, but soon wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

Just then, Meeko and Shinji came up with four corn dogs in their hands.They stopped cold when they saw the two kissing on the bench.Shinji raised an eyebrow."Whoa, well, what do we have here?"

Akiko gasped and immediately pulled back from a red faced Makoto.Red faced and frozen in shock, Makoto."Well, I was just thanking him for a great time."Akiko said truthfully."Aren't you having a fun time Meeko?"She turned the attention away from herself.

Meeko nodded and wrapped an arm through Shinji's arm. "A very nice time."

Shinji blushed and stepped forward."We brought you guys something to eat, unless you enjoy eating each other's tonsils."He teased.

Meeko punched him in the arm."Mou!Shinji!Be nice!"

Shinji chuckled and handed over the corn dogs.

The four eat and talked about the day.Akiko didn't say anything, but there was something in the back of her mind that said something bad was going to happen…

Abbadon smiled as he saw his creation head for the fair.A Clow Card on the loose was one thing.This card was an attack card, naturally violent, and he had tainted it with evil, so it was unstoppable!He had seen Madoushi try the same thing with Windy, but that card was too gentle to do anything too bad.

Fiery would do just fine…

Goodbye brats…

The hair on Akiko's back stood up and she shot up, running to the surrounding woods."Akiko!"Makoto jumped up and ran after her.Shinji and Meeko frowned to each other and ran after their friends.

When Meeko and Shinji caught up to their friends, Meeko gasped."This is where it happened!"

Akiko looked around, trying to find what she sensed to strong.The others sensed it now too and got out their weapons and got into fighting stances.Akiko growled in frustration."Where is it!?"

Meeko thought about the people and pulled out a card."Sleep!Put everyone to sleep!"Sleep spread it's blue sparkles over the people of the fair and they fell to the ground, destined for dreamland.

Akiko stayed near Makoto, who went back to back with her."What are you waiting for?"

Suddenly, fire surrounded the four and out of the flame, came Fiery's full form!Akiko gasped."That!"

Fiery smiled evilly at the four and raised her hands and pointed it at Akiko and Makoto."Die!"Her red eyes flashed and from her finger came a large blast of fire.

"Look out!"Makoto shouted and grabbed Akiko to dive for the side.

"S-She talks!?"Shinji asked in shock.

Meeko gasped."Remember Windy?How she was acting all weird?I get the same feeling from Fiery!"

Shinji nodded and gasped as another blast came at them. "Shield!"A blue hued shield surrounded them and the flames were deflected around them.

Meeko cursed under her breath. She couldn't use Watery or Wave to stop Fiery.They would only make her stronger.She took out another card instead."Fly!" White wings grew from her back and she rose into the air and out of the protective shield.

Shinji tried to stop her and reached out to her hand."No!Meeko!"He called forth his wings and tried to go after her, but Fiery blasted him again, and hot wind kept him down on the ground.

Meeko called out another card."Arrow!"The bow formed in her hand and she held onto an arrow."Take this!"She released the arrow, which naturally spilt into 20 and attacked Fiery.

Fiery tried to stop them, by blasting them with fireballs, but they flew straight and true, until they hit Fiery's arms and torso.She growled in pain."You will pay for that!"She aimed a fireball at Meeko, who had to dive to avoid the attack.The miscalculated dive and the fire, made Meeko crash into the ground, right in front of Fiery.

Fiery smirked and formed a larger fireball in her hand. "Now, you will die."

"No!"Shinji cried and dove down to pick her up.

Akiko gasped.This was the beginning.The beginning of her dream.And what was about to happen next…

Makoto watched Meeko get scooped up and Fiery growled in rage.He sighed in relief and didn't see Fiery change her aim to him and release the attack."Oniichan!"

Makoto gasped and finally saw the attack coming.

"No!Makoto!"Akiko dove forward and pushed Makoto out of the way. 

Makoto looked back in shock as the fireball hit her, instead of him…

"AKIKO!!!!!"He ran forward, but he was too late…she was gone.

He tried to hold back his tears, but instead turned back to the smug faced Fiery.He glared at her with those amber eyes and Fiery seemed to shy back, now a little less sure.Makoto took out two ward cards that he had taken from his father and called forth their power."Water!Wind!Descend!"

The two cards came forth and drew energy from Makoto to charge forward and wrap around Fiery.She gasped and tried to attack them.

Meeko and Shinji caught on and held open their cards."Windy!"Shinji called out.

"Watery!"Meeko followed.

They struck the cards at the same time and the two element cards joined the ward cards power to bring down Fiery.Makoto held up his sword and Fiery struck the ground at his feet."Fiery!Return to the form you were meant to be!Fiery!"Fiery was changed into a card and came to Makoto, who collapsed."She's gone…she's gone…"

Meeko and Shinji began to cry too, and Meeko cried into Shinji's chest."W-what are we going to do?"

Shinji looked down at Makoto, who was shaking with sobs.He replied truthfully."I don't know…"

Makoto's head shot up."AAAAAAAAKKKIIIKKKKOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"


	28. Ishi No Kiseki

Second Generation Cardcaptors 28

Second Generation Cardcaptors 28

Makoto: Last time, *sniff*, after I asked Akiko out on a date, Shinji helped me *sniff* plan it.We went to the *sniff* local fair and Akiko and I had lots of fun. *cries* Meeko: Calm, down, it's okay.I'll continue. *pats her brother on the back* That's when the Fiery attacked.It was meaner… something was wrong…Makoto: She knew! *wails* Somehow she knew I'd be attacked!She gave her life for me!And now it's gone!Meeko: Daijobu, daijobu…it's not over yet.Makoto: *looks up* Nani?Meeko" *smiles*

Meeko played with the sushi around on her plate, not really that interested in finishing her meal.Syaoran and Sakura were silent.Even Kero wasn't enjoying his meal.Makoto hadn't touched his meal.He simply sat there at the family dining table, staring out into space.

"So…how's school been?"Sakura attempted to start a conversation.

"Yes, didn't you have that piano recital coming up?"Syaoran asked.

Meeko nodded sadly."Hai, demo, Akiko was going to sing the solo to it…"

"Now she's done…" Makoto said in a monotone.He got up abruptly."May I be excused?"

Sakura nodded sadly.Makoto left without another word.Meeko looked at her parents, who nodded, and she followed her brother upstairs to their room.

Syaoran rubbed his temples and sighed."If this goes on…" He shook his head.

"He hasn't eaten anything in three days."

"That's what I mean!This has to stop!"

Kero finally spoke up."Hey Gaki, he just lost his best friend!Give him a break!"

Syaoran glared at the guardian beast."Gaki?You haven't called me that since I was younger."

Kero flew up and stared at Syaoran right in the eye.Golden eyes met amber solemnly."That's what you have to be right now.You can't think like a father.He needs a friend, not a parent."

Sakura began to clean up the dishes."Come on now…we have to visit Tomoyo and Eriol.Give them our condolences."

Syaoran nodded."Hai, we should."

Meeko sat next to Makoto, as he cried on her shoulder."Why?Why did she do it?Why did she have to die?"

"She did it for you.She cared for you a great deal."Meeko tried to comfort her twin."Don't let her sacrifice be in vain."

Makoto sniffed and tried to stop crying, which only resulted in hiccups.

There was a knock at the door and Syaoran quietly opened it."Um…can I have a moment alone with Makoto, onegai?"He politely asked Meeko.

Meeko nodded and jumped down from the top bunk."Sure, I can go downstairs and help mom real quick."

She left and Syaoran came into the room, closing the door behind him."So…you planning on starving yourself for Akiko's sake?"

Makoto pouted sadly."No point anymore."

Syaoran came and put his arms crossed on the top bunk."Don't you think Akiko would want you to eat?"

Makoto turned his gaze away."Maybe…but Akiko's dead.So what does it matter?"

"It matters to us.Your mom and me.Akiko was close to us also, and we don't want to lose you too."He said gently.

Makoto sighed in despair."I feel an emptiness inside me…and I don't know what to do."

Syaoran put a hand on his son's knee."If you aren't careful, that emptiness will eat you inside and out.It will make you cold and uncaring."

Makoto looked up at his father in a new light.Something in his voice…Makoto couldn't place it, but he could sense a deep pain in his father's heart…something buried deep in the past.

"My…father…died when I was little."Syaoran started."Afterwards, my mom, your grandmother, increased my training. I was either in school, learning proper swordsmanship, or practicing new magic skills, all in preparation for me to one day, take my place as the new Li Clan Leader.I rarely got any sleep."He explained.

Makoto looked at his father with a furrowed brow."What happened?"

Syaoran turned his gaze out the window."I…turned into a different person.I rarely talked to anyone, and made it a point not to make any friends."He paused."My heart turned cold and I was mean to everyone."

Syaoran sighed in memory._I was mean to Sakura…_

__"It was because I let the emptiness form my father's death consume me, take over, and I didn't know who I truly was anymore."

Makoto sniffed and stared down at his hands."I miss her so much…"

"Hai, I know, demo…" He half smiled at his son."You have to move on."

Makoto nodded.

"Dad!Mom's ready to go!"Meeko's voice shouted from downstairs.

"Hai!"Syaoran shouted back."We'll be right back."He was sort of uncomfortable."If you ever want to talk…"

Makoto nodded with his first smile since the previous week. "Hai, arigatou."

Syaoran nodded and left Makoto with his thoughts.

Makoto sighed and laid back in his bed._I wish I could bring her back…_

_**You can…**_

**__**Makoto shot up in bed."Nani?Who's there?"

**_Don't you remember your old classmate?_**

**__**Makoto watched as before him, none other than Hitori, materialized."Nani?"

Hitori smiled slightly.**__**"I haven't much time to explain, so listen carefully. If you read the book of magic your sister has hidden, there's a spell that can bring your friend back.There isn't much time.The stone is in the library."She began to fade."Have faith."

"Hitori!Matte!"Makoto begged.

"The stone…in the library."Then she was gone.

Makoto stared at the spot where his friend had just been._What had he just seen?Wasn't Hitori gone?_

__The book…

The Magic Book…

He had to try.

Meeko gave her mom a kiss goodbye and Syaoran gave her a peck on the top of her head."You guys be good."

"Hai!"Meeko waved goodbye and closed the door.

"Meeko!!"

Meeko startled and ran upstairs.She burst through the door."Nanda?" (Same as "Nani" I think)

"The magic book!Where is the magic book you were reading a few weeks ago?"

Meeko blinked."It's under my bed, doushite?"

Without answering, Makoto ran to the bottom bunk and dove underneath it.He shuffled through their duel possessions until he found what he was looking for.

He crawled back out and plopped down on the bottom bunk.Meeko sat down next to him."What are you looking for?"

Makoto handed the book over to his sister."Please, just flip through it and search for anything that has to do with stones."Makoto asked desperately.

Meeko nodded, sensing his urgency."Alright."She opened it up and began skimming through the Chinese characters.

Makoto did too, seeing if there was anything he could recognize, since he still couldn't read traditional Chinese script.

"Hmm…there are a lot of spells here."She spotted one that looked interesting."Turning your pets into pastries."She laughed."We have to use that one on Kero sometime."

Makoto ignored the comment and skimmed the next page, when something caught his eye."What does this say?"He pointed to the spell.

Meeko turned her gaze to the indicated paragraph and began reading."Lost long ago, Ishi no Kiseki was believed to be grant unimaginable power to the beholder."Meeko looked up. "Ishi no Kiseki…the Stone of Miracles…wonder where it is…"

_The stone is in the library…_

"The library!"Makoto got up and ran out the door.

"Matte!Makoto!What are you talking about?"Meeko ran after him, down the stairs and into the basement, which had the library.

Makoto threw open the basement door and flicked on the light. "It has to be here!"He began opened his senses to pinpoint the stone's location.

Meeko walked in behind him."What's going on? What are we looking for?"

Makoto sighed and came up with a quick explanation."Hitori came to me in a dream.Told me to find the stone.It'll bring Akiko back."

Meeko gasped."Well why didn't you say so?"She joined in the search and pulled books off the shelf, looking for the stone.She came to a spot where the Clow Book had been and gasped.

Makoto sensed her sudden excitement and ran to her."Did you find it?" 

Meeko pulled out the row of books and revealed a keyhole…_behind_ where the book of Clow had been."I think so…"

Makoto examined it carefully."We need the key…"

Key…

Key…

"Key!"Both exclaimed.Meeko smiled and reached around her neck and pulled out her key, which turned into her staff whenever she called upon it.Carefully, slowly, she placed it in the hole…  
  


The lock glowed and its light made the two squint and cry out.Had they made a mistake?The Light became so bright, that it consumed them and they disappeared.

Meeko groaned and opened her eyes."Huh?" 

Makoto woke up besides her and echoed her bafflement."Doko? (Where?)

Meeko shrugged and took Makoto's offered hand and stood up.

_Descendants of Clow!_A voice boomed out of nowhere.

Both twins went back-to-back, wand and sword instantly in hand.

"Who's there?"

"Show yourself!"

_You seek the Ishi no Kiseki?_

__Both nodded."Hai."

_Then prove yourselves worthy!_The voice responded and a growling could be heard from the sides of the darkened room.The twins gasped as red and yellow wolf eyes came out into view._Defend yourselves!_

__Meeko gasped as the wolves inched closer."What does it expect us to do to defeat things so big and ferocious?"She asked in a wavered voice.

Makoto narrowed his eyes."If it wants us to fight these wolves to get the Ishi no Kiseki," He went into a battle stance."Then that's what we'll do!This is for Akiko!"He yelled out her name as a battle cry and attacked.

Meeko nodded her head in agreement."Right!"Then she rushed in as well.

Three wolves went to each child, and Makoto took out a card."Jump!"Wings appeared on his heels and just as one wolf lunged, Makoto jumped, slamming down his sword on its back.It yelped in pain, and fell to the ground.Makoto landed on the other side, and turned to face the other two closing in…

Meeko used fly and flew over the wolves, smacking it in the head, and getting it very mad."Oops…okay, wrong tactic."She took out another card."Arrow!"She fired her arrows, injuring two of the three.The third lunged and had her pinned."Makoto!"She cried out.

Makoto growled."Fiery!" Fiery formed in front of her and began to spin, while Makoto hit the deck.The wolves turned to this new adversary, only to be turned to ash as its flame licked at their flesh, and burned them to a chard cinder.

Meeko grunted and rolled out from under the wolf that had pinned her and sat up panting.Makoto came running to her."You okay?"

"Hai, daijobu.You?"

"Nothing's broken."He replied.

_You have done well, but it is not over yet!_Just then, the walls began to shake.

Meeko looked around."Is it me, or are the walls getting closer?"

Makoto gasped in understanding."He's going to crush us!"

"We have to get out of here!"

Makoto thought for a moment and turned to his sister."Do you trust me?"

"What?What kind of question is that?You're my brother, of course I do!"Meeko said with a frown."Just get us out of here!"

Makoto nodded and threw forward a card, striking it with his sword."Change!"He focused on his idea, praying it would work, and sure enough…

"Makoto!What did you do?"His sister asked with a squeal.

Makoto opened his eyes and looked down, to see his idea had worked!They were both now birds, and had the ability to fly easily."Yes!Now we can fly out of here!"He said, over the rumbling sound.

"I could have used Fly for that!"Meeko protested.

"But could you could get through that hole up there?"He looked up with his beak, and showed his sister a small ray of light that managed to get through a little crack.

Meeko smiled (if she could)."You're a genius!Let's get out of here!"She rose up into the air and began to fly out of the room.

"Matte!"Makoto flew after her."Look out for rubble falling down!"He dodged a rock himself as he sped after her.

"Ahh!"She dodged one too, but kept flying higher._This is for Akiko! Remember that!_She dodged more debris, until she flew through the crack and into open light.

Makoto wasn't far behind, and after they had gotten a safe distance away, they settled down and he recalled change.They panted and looked around them."This keeps getting weirder and weirder."He commented.

Meeko nodded and looked on in astonishment.There were hills and trees all around them."Some kind of field or valley?"She guessed.

"This is my home, now."A voice said.The two turned and saw a teenage boy coming up, dressed in a tan robe, with a bright red sash."You two did well.Why do you wish for the Ishi no Kiseki?"He asked.

Makoto stood up."We need it to save our friend."He said quietly."She…died saving me, and I have to save her."

"I see…" The boy smiled."It takes great dedication, to go through so much for a friend like that.I will grant you what you wish."

Meeko smiled."You'll bring back Akiko?"

He shook his head."That I can not do."They saddened."But you can."

"Nani!"Both exclaimed.

The youth put his hand over his head and a light began to glow.A stone formed and lowered into his hands."Here.This is the Ishi no Kiseki, or Stone of Miracles."He handed it to Makoto.Then he dug into his robes and took out a scroll.He handed that to Meeko."This is the spell to bring back your friend.You will need a lot of power, but being descendants of Clow, I think you will do it."He bowed in respects.

"How do we get back?"Makoto asked.

"I will send you back.You have my best wishes.Good luck!"

"Who are you?"Meeko shouted, as she and her brother began to fade away.

"You may call me, Amiboshi."He said.(I just love that name so much I couldn't help it!)Then they faded away.

Meeko was the first to awaken, and notice they were back in the basement."Kids we're home!"Meeko gasped and shook her brother awake.

Both kids ran upstairs.Syaoran observed them carefully."What were you doing in the basement?"

"Oh, you know, we were just practicing in the training room, that's all."Makoto thought up quickly and then ran upstairs, Ishi no Kiseki at hand.

"I sense something very powerful."Sakura said, looking around.

"I don't sense anything."Meeko said, trying to cover it up."So, that was fast, you two.Done already?"

Syaoran frowned."We were gone for 5 hours."

"Nani?"Meeko looked at the clock and it had indeed been 5 hours."Weird."

"What's wrong, dear?"Sakura asked worriedly.

"On nande mo nai. (Nothing at all), gotta go!"Then she ran upstairs to meet her brother.

The parents exchanged glances.There was something those two weren't telling them…

Meeko got upstairs and closed the door.

"Can you come over?"She heard her brother ask.

_"Sure, I'm on my way."_

Makoto hung up.

"Who was that?"Meeko asked.

"Shinji.He's coming over.We're going to do the spell tonight."Came his reply.

Meeko nodded._Hang on Akiko…we're going to get you back no matter what._


	29. Rebirth

Second Generation Cardcaptors 29

Second Generation Cardcaptors 29

Shinji: In the last chapter, Sakura and Syaoran tried their best to cheer up Meeko and Makoto over the loss of their friend, Akiko.Makoto and Syaoran had a father and son talk, and then Makoto got a visit from an unexpected ally, Hitori!Given instruction, Meeko and Makoto set out to find the Ishi no Kiseki.The found getting it was harder than it seemed, but they did it and now we must discover if this "Stone of Miracles" will actually bring back our beloved friend…

Sakura went to answer the door and opened it to find Shinji standing there."Shinji?What are you doing here?"Sakura asked.

"Where are Meeko and Makoto?"He asked.

Syaoran appeared beside Sakura. "They're upstairs.Why?"

"May I see them?"Shinji persisted.

Sakura frowned."Sure."She and her husband moved aside.

Shinji bowed his thanks and ran past them, and then up the stairs.He opened the door."So what's going on?"

Meeko looked up from the scroll, Amiboshi had given them."We had a visit from Hitori.We are going to use the Ishi No Kiseki to bring Akiko back."She quickly gave up the summary of the situation.

Makoto sat on the floor, the stone at hand."We'll need all the power we can get."

Shinji nodded. "You got it."

Back downstairs, Sakura and Syaoran sat together in the living room, worrying about their children.

"Something's going on."Syaoran said frustrated that he didn't know what they were up to.

Kero came flying in from the kitchen with a panicked expression."You two had better come and take a look at this!"

Sakura and Syaoran jumped up and ran to the kitchen. "Nani?Sakura asked.

Syaoran spotted it.The magic book Meeko had left on the counter!Syaoran went over to it and picked it up."The Ishi No Kiseki…"

"The what!?Kero exclaimed."That stone is big trouble!"

Sakura looked up worriedly."Why?"

Kero crossed his little arms."Clow's brother, Amiboshi was also a sorcerer.He created the Ishi No Kiseki for bringing back the dead and other works of miracles, hence the name."He sighed sadly in memory."He died trying to save another's life, because the stone took his life force, in exchange for the others…"

Syaoran made a fist."If those two have it…and try and bring back Akiko, like we all know they will…then…"

"We have to stop them!"

"Kero!Call Eriol and fill him in!"Syaoran threw down the book and raced upstairs, Sakura on his heels.

Kero flew to the phone."You got it!"

Syaoran and Sakura ran to their children's room, but when Syaoran tried to throw open the door, a blue and red hued shield threw them back."Nani?"Syaoran asked in astonishment."

Sakura pounded on the shield."They made a barrier!"

"And it's stronger because of the stone!"Syaoran said.

Inside…Meeko turned at the sound of her mother's pounded."Are you sure that'll hold?"

Makoto nodded."It'll hold long enough."

Meeko bit her bottom lip in uncertainty.She remembered the book said to not attempt harder spells unless the spell caster was very strong and experienced in their powers."Hey, Makoto…are you sure we should be trying this?Maybe we should ask mom and dad for help."

Makoto looked up."We don't have time to argue with them.I'm getting Akiko back with or _without_ your help.Are you in or out?"

Meeko sighed."I'm in."

The three sat around the stone…and began the spell…

Concentrating with all his power, Makoto read from the scroll."The four elements of magic!"

"The four corners of Earth!"Meeko recited her part.

"Grant us your power and grant us our one wish!"Shinji said.

"Bring our best friend back to us!!"Makoto said, finishing the spell.

Sakura and Syaoran saw a bright yellow light come from under the door and gasped.Kero came flying up. "Eriol is on his w- oh no!"He exclaimed."They started the spell!"

Sakura pounded harder on the door."Meeko!Makoto!Please!Don't!"

Fushuku raised the whip on the huddling Hitori."So, you thought you could send a message to your so-called friends without Lord Abbadon knowing huh?"Fushuku whipped her again, making another deep gash in her body."You will be severally punished little girl!"

Hitori cried and cried as she received lash after lash from the merciless servant.She did what she had to.Akiko, along with the rest, were her friends, and she would sacrifice any amount of pain to see them safe._Please…help me…_

Meeko and the others gritted their teeth against the effort as they felt their bodies drain out completely of magical power.But it was all worth it, because when Makoto carefully opened his eyes, just a bit, he saw the yellow light in the room, that was coming from the crystal, form a ball above their heads.

A body soon formed in that ball of light…a very familiar body.

"Akiko…" Makoto forced a smile through his pain and draining.

Akiko floated down and landed besides the stone, still in the same clothes she wore on their first date, now completely mended and repaired.

Outside the door, Syaoran growled. "Get back! I've had enough of this!"Sakura and Kero moved back, and Syaoran called out his sword."Lightning!"His lightning easily broke the shield._Why didn't I try this earlier?_He shook his head."Come on."

He threw open the door, just in time to see Meeko and Makoto fall limp to the ground.Shinji jumped to his feet."What happened?Why didn't anything happen to me?"

Sakura ran to her children."Meeko!Makoto!Wake up!"She hugged them close.

Syaoran picked up Akiko and the stone and placed them carefully on the bottom bunk.

Kero turned to answer Shinji's question."You are not of the Clow Reed line.They are…it took them as a sacrifice."

Sakura's eyes widened."No!I won't lose them!Please!Don't leave me!"She cried.

"We here!"Just then, Tomoyo and Eriol stormed in.Tomoyo gasped at seeing something _very_ unexpected."A-Akiko?"She ran to her daughter and hugged her tightly, much the way Sakura now held her twins."It's a miracle!"

"Yes it is."Eriol said, calmly.He picked up the Ishi No Kiseki."Amiboshi, you never ceased to amaze me."He walked over to Sakura and placed a hand on her shaking shoulder."Do not worry.I can reverse the effects.I learned to do this, incase someone else ever came across this god-forsaken creation."He laid a hand on each of the twins and they were surrounded by Eriol's dark blue aura and soon, their eyes opened.

"Mom?"Meeko mumbled.

"Oh, sweetie!"Sakura held her close.

Makoto groaned awake."Did it work?"

As if answering his question, Akiko slowly opened her eyes and Tomoyo cried tears of joy."Yes it did. Yes it did."She answered for them all.

The whole Li family along with Eriol's family sat around the kitchen table, trying to catch up on everything that had happened.They mostly turned to Meeko and Makoto for an explanation.The explained the best they could, but a lot of it was, needless to say, unbelievable.

"So…Hitori's alive?Tomoyo asked.

Makoto nodded."I think so.Either that or it might have been her spirit."

"And you went into the basement, heard a low voice, and were transported to a darkened chamber, where you single handedly fought off several wolves, and ended up seeing Amiboshi's spirit and bringing back the scroll and the Ishi No Kiseki?"Syaoran looked at them critically.

"Hey if you don't believe us, just look at the proof!"Meeko shouted, pointing to Akiko, who was tired, but otherwise very alive.

"I believe them."Sakura said.She turned to her children."But you didn't need to hide it from us."

"Damn right."Syaoran said.Sakura glared at him for his choice of words, and the mighty Syaoran, cringed back.Tomoyo let out a laugh.

"I'm just glad this is all over."Shinji said."The four of us are back together!"

"But it isn't over…" Makoto said."I plan to get Hitori back at all costs."

Meeko nodded."And we have to get the rest of the cards."

Akiko laughed, which brought everyone's attention to her."We have a recital to do."

Meeko groaned and banged her head on the table."Don't remind me."

Everyone continued to talk about their experiences and what lied ahead.But no one knew that they were being watched…

Abbadon smirked as the group thought the worst was over."I have so much more in store for you yet, cardcaptors.Just you wait and see.You may as well enjoy your little pathetic celebration while it lasts, because there is so much more yet to head your way."He laughed boastfully.

In the dungeons far below, Hitori whimpered and tried to tend to her wounds as best she could.Her powers were drastically reduced because of the shield over the whole area, so she couldn't heal herself.She dressed her wounds with some old material, and whipped away her tears."I am happy for you Makoto, Meeko, and Shinji. You survived.I would have warned you, but Abbadon caught me, along with Fushuku.After you capture all the cards, I am sure you will find me, and we will seal up the demon once and for all."

Hidden in the bushes, Meeko and Shinji watched a very red Makoto and a smiling Akiko.Meeko was recording the whole thing._Akiko will thank me for this later…_

Akiko held her hands behind her back, sweetly."I never got to thank you for a great date."

Makoto looked up with a frown."Great date?Akiko, you…you died…!"

"I did it for you!"Akiko said firmly."And I don't regret doing either!"

Shinji lowered Meeko's camera.This was something he didn't want the camera to capture.

Makoto sighed and stared at the ground."When I felt you push me to the side…and then disappear, just like that, I felt as if a part of me was burned to ashes…just like…" He sniffed.

Akiko pulled him into a hug."Makoto…I did it, because I didn't want you to be in that position.I would gladly go through that a thousand times to see you safe and sound."

Makoto looked at Akiko carefully."Why?"

Akiko blushed."Because I…I love you, Makoto.I always have."

Meeko sighed, but soon felt Shinji dragging her away."Hey!"She whispered/hissed.

Shinji smirked."Let's give them _some_ privacy shall we?"

"Yeah right!"Meeko fought to get back to her hiding spot, but Shinji, being the strong of the two, simply picked up Meeko into his arms, and carried her back into the house."Put me down!"

Back to Akiko and Makoto, Makoto gasped and blushed madly."Y-you do?"

Akiko nodded with a smile."I just never go the guts to-…"

Akiko was cut off by Makoto's lips.He gently kissed her and pulled back, smiling."I love you too.I guess I always have.I just never noticed it before."

"Oh, Makoto…" Akiko threw herself at Makoto, and he caught her, giving her a small spin around in the air.

In the bedroom window, Meeko pouted."Why couldn't I record that?"

Shinji, who sat on Meeko's bed, laughed."Cause Makoto would have killed me later if I hadn't stopped you."

Meeko smiled and sat in his lap."And we definitely can't have that now, can we?"

Shinji smirked back."Wouldn't dream of it."He leaned in and kissed Meeko on the lips, Meeko wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling them closer.

Whatever happened in the future, the four would fight their hardest…and they would win…because they had their loved ones by their side, and they would not lose.


	30. Chilly Encounters

Second Generation Cardcaptors 30

Second Generation Cardcaptors 30

Kero: Finally!It's my turn to say something in this messed up story! (Digi: Hey!I could take you out all together!) Kero: No!No!No!I'll be good!*clears his throat*Anyways, last time, the Li twins, with the stone of miracles in hand, thought they could pull a fast one on us, but I knew better.Meeko left it on the kitchen table, so I knew, but we were too late, they had already cast the spell and brought back Akiko, not that everyone wasn't happy, but those two really came close to loosing their lives.Then there was some mushy parts that I refuse to cover!(Digi: Kero!)Kero: No way!Uh uh.I will not talk about the couple thing.(Digi: This is the last review you do then!)Kero: Fine!

Once again back in school, the four cardcaptors struggled through a new challenge: Music Class.Makoto was what you would call tone deaf, and when he tried to sing, everyone put their hands over their ears."I am not off key!"Makoto would protest.

Shinji was an expert at the flute, and could make wonderful melodies that could sooth and soul.Akiko had inherited her mother's singing skills and would often lead the class in their practices.Meeko had taken a liking to the piano, and therefore, she and Akiko had teamed up together for the upcoming recital.Everyone in town would be there.

Then there was Kima and Boshi.Kima was a longhaired blond who held secret feelings Shinji, but she never told him, because she knew he loved Meeko.And that really got to her.Boshi had short blue hair, and he had liked Meeko since they were in the first grade.He knew everything about her, but then this gray-haired guy, Shinji comes into the picture and ruins any chance Boshi has with her!It was just wrong!

So, in the light of their similarities, Boshi and Kima had teamed up and planned to show up their rivals in the coming recital.

"Okay, class, today we are going to practice for the show tomorrow night."Mizuki sensei told the class. "Meeko, Akiko, please, would you show the class what you have prepared?"

Meeko and Akiko nodded and took their spots at the front of the class.Meeko went behind the piano, and Akiko took the mic Mizuki sensei handed her.Meeko began to play a sweet little tune and Akiko waited for her cue to start singing.They played right through the first verse of their song.

It was a familiar song to Makoto and Shinji.They had heard Tomoyo sing it many times, with Eriol at the piano.It was "Seeds of Kindness".The same song used to bring in the deadly piano that Eriol had sent against Sakura and Syaoran all those years ago.

During the song, Boshi thought he heard a voice in his head._Do you want to get back at them?Do you want the power to get her?_

__Boshi looked over at Kima.It seemed she was getting a similar experience._Breaking them apart would be so easy…then you could have him all to yourself…_

__Who was this voice?And could he give them when he said he could?

Abbadon laughed as he saw the confused looks on the children.They knew so little about life and were so easy to manipulate.This was going to be easier than he thought."You made a good choice, Fushuku."

Fushuku bowed deeply."Arigatou, My Lord."

"A very good choice indeed…"

At lunchtime, Meeko and the gang sat under their cheery blossom tree and talked about their different classes.

"Having Auntie Kaho for a teacher is fun!"Meeko commented.

"Better than Madoushi anyway."Makoto said, putting a piece of Sushi in his mouth.

Akiko playfully hit Makoto in the arm."Come on!It's mean to talk behind her back, when she isn't around anymore."

Shinji hit his fork to his mouth in thought."Not true.Makoto, didn't you say you saw her?"

"Nani?"Akiko turned to her boyfriend.

Makoto nodded."It was Hitori who told me about the Ishi No Kiseki.It was like her spirit or something."

"Then is she…" Akiko started.

"We don't know that."Meeko said."We'll try and find out later."

Shinji nodded."Good idea.A little cardcaptor action?"

"Always!"Makoto and Shinji high fived, causing the girls to laugh.

"You'll have other problems coming soon that are worse than that."Mizuki sensei's voice caused them all to turn around.

"Nani?"Meeko questioned.

"Better keep your eyes open on your classmates."She warned and went to continue her duties.

"What was that all about?"Makoto wondered.Everyone shrugged, but kept the advice in mind…

A little ways away, Boshi and Kima met behind some bushes, where the voice had told them to go earlier.

Boshi looked nervous."Do you think we should do this?"

Kima rolled her eyes."Oh brother, don't tell me you're chickening out already!Or do you want Shinji to have Meeko forever and rub it in your nose day after day?"

Boshi sighed."Fine fine, you didn't have to put it like that."

"Are you ready?"A voice said from behind them.

Both whipped around, but saw nothing."Who's there?"

"I'm going to help you.Now close your eyes."

Both children did as told and felt an odd chill move into their bodies.

"You have your powers now…I will teach you how to use them, and then you can get what you want."

Abbadon laughed as he watched Fushuku embedded the unknowing children with two Clow Cards.They were now possessed and didn't even know it!If those two get rid of even one of those brats, it would put him back on top!_Fools…_

_ _

__After school, Meeko and Akiko stayed after school for a few hours, practicing some more, while Shinji and Makoto stayed for soccer practice.After the guys hit the showers, they headed off to the music class.

"You two girls done yet?"Makoto asked.

Akiko came up and sweetly put her head on Makoto's shoulder."Oh, did we keep you too long?"

Makoto turned bright red."No, no, of course not.Take all the time you need."

Meeko closed the piano."Nope, we're done."

"Then how about we go and pick up something to eat?"Shinji suggested. "I'm famished!"

Meeko came up with a giggle. "You're always hungry!"

"Hey! I'm a growing boy, you know."He protested.

Meeko put a hand on his chest."That you are."

He blushed and the four left the music room laughing.

Outside the window, Boshi and Kima smirked._Now is the time… _Their eyes unknowingly glowed a faint blue…

"I can't believe tomorrow's the recital!"Akiko squealed.The four exited the school and headed to the gate.

"I know.I can't wait to hear you sing."Makoto said with a wink.

Meeko looked a little nervous just thinking about it."I hope I do okay."

Shinji wrapped an arm around her, smiling."I'll do fine."

"Think again!"Boshi growled and jumped out from the side, Kima from the other side.They were both now fully being controlled by the Clow Cards.

Meeko frowned."Boshi?Kima?What's going on?"She got her key out.

Shinji moved in front of her, glaring at his classmates, also taking out his staff."I sense Clow Cards!"

"Why don't you shut up!"Boshi shouted, throwing his hand forward.A blast of ice streamed forth, knocking Meeko and Shinji back.Their weapons went flying out of their hands."This is too easy!"Attacking again, while they were unconscious, Boshi created an ice cage around the two locking them in.

"What the heck!?"Makoto ran to his sister, but was blown back by a blast of ice wind and snow.

"Oh no you don't!"Kima said."They're ours and you can't have them back!"

Akiko shook her head in disbelief."Why?"

"I've loved Meeko since we were little, but she never looked over my way!So now I take her by force!"Boshi shouted.

"And Shinji deserves someone like me, not Meeko!I liked him before Meeko ever did! I'm better in everything!But she gets him anyways!I will come out on top because Kima Zumi always wins!"

Akiko gasped as she saw the blue glow in their eyes."They've been possessed!Just like you and Meeko were!"

Makoto nodded."They're anger is just fueling the cards to act more aggressively!"He took out his sword, still hidden in his key form.They had to help their friends."Upon this key, I place a spell.Show me your powers, within the sword do dwell!"The key transformed into his sword and he threw forward a card."Fiery!"

Fiery blazed brightly and opened its daring orange-red eyes.Kima growled and tried to attack with Snow, but Fiery used her fireballs and melted the barrage."When its fire against ice, fire always wins." Makoto said, confidently.He saw Fiery aim some of the fireballs at the cage, but they were ineffective.It was being magically reinforced!"Nani?"Guess he spoke too soon.

Boshi jumped high and attacked again."Ice!"Ice spears appeared out of nowhere and came flying at Makoto.

"Jump!"Makoto hit the card with his sword and jumped repeatedly, barely avoiding the dozens of projectiles being sent his way.One spear came too close, and grazed his arm, making him fall to the ground and wincing in pain.

"Makoto!"Akiko tried to think of a way to stop these two, without hurting them, _and_ capturing the cards!Seeing more spears headed for Makoto, she did the only thing she could think of."Fight!Power!"She used her staff to call forth the Clow Cards.She then jumped in front of Makoto, and began punching and kicking at any spears that came close to her loved one.

Makoto watched in awe at Akiko's agility, her aura was now a blazing purple, from the combined powers of Fight and Power running through her.Her original yellow aura was almost invincible.

Shinji moaned awake, still inside the cage, and saw what was happening before them.He turned and shook Meeko awake. "Meeko, hey Meeko, we gotta do something!"

Meeko groaned and opened her eyes."Huh?Makoto!"She was instantly awake when she felt her brother's aura so alive in the heat of battle."How do we stop them?"

Shinji frowned in thought."We'll have to use a combination of Sleep and Dream."

Meeko raised an eyebrow."Why not just sleep?"

Shinji turned to her."Separating those two from the Clow Cards is going to be different from when we saved you and Makoto.They're anger created a bond with the cards, separating them so abruptly would kill them."

Meeko nodded."Now we just have to get to our weapons."

Shinji smirked."Or get our weapons to us."

Meeko frowned, then caught on with a smile._Brother!_

_Meeko?Are you two all right?_Meeko looked over at his sister.

Meeko nodded._Shinji and I have a plan, but we need our weapons!_

Makoto got the message._You got it._ Makoto stood up behind Akiko, who amazingly was still holding herself out pretty well._Akiko…_

_Got a plan already?_

Makoto laughed._Yeah, we do.On three, I need you to turn offensive and attack Kima.I'll go after Boshi._

Akiko nodded.

Makoto held his arm in pain._One…Two…_ He took a deep breath._Three!_

As one the two cardcaptors jumped into the air and launched themselves at their opponents, this caught them off guard.Makoto came in with a kick to Boshi's chest, knowing him back.Akiko swung her staff low, trying to trip Kima, but Kima was fast and flipped over it!Akiko was shocked.The Card was doing this?

Abbadon watched in pure enjoyment as he saw the children fighting each other.Once they had sealed two of the cardcaptors away, he himself had reinforced it.Almost nothing would be able to break it.Giving the Boshi child and Kima brat more powers seemed to be working out great.

While the two were being distracted, Makoto punched Boshi in the stomach, making him double over in pain.With the precious moments he had, Makoto dove for Shinji's and Meeko's weapons, tossing them back within arms reach.But with the force field, how were they supposed to get to them?

Shinji turned to Meeko."You have to use your powers."

"Huh?"

"You can make shields, right?Make a shield around our weapons and bring them through this shield."He explained.

Meeko was unsure of herself."I-I don't know if my powers are strong enough…"

"I'll help you."Shinji smiled and Meeko nodded.

"I'll try."Meeko closed her eyes and concentrated.Shinji placed a hand on her shoulder, adding his strength to hers.She felt his aura wrap and mix with hers.She never felt closer.She grunted with the effort and made the field around the weapons.She mentally said _pull_ and felt the weapons getting closer.

When they hit they ice cage's force field, they were met with more resistance, but she felt Shinji's confidence move into her mind, and she made it through at last.

Having their weapons, Shinji wasted no time."Sword!"Hitting the card with his staff, it transformed into a sword, which Shinji used to cut through the ice cage, shield and all.Finally free, Meeko and Shinji rejoined their friends in the battle.

"NO!"Boshi exclaimed.

"It can't be!"Kima echoed his shock.

Without waiting another moment, Meeko called out Sleep.Sleep was released and sprinkled its powder over the possessed children.Makoto and Akiko frowned, but Meeko turned to them in haste."Use Dream!Quickly!"

Akiko didn't wait for an explanation, but did as told."Dream!"She hit the card with her staff and Dream's lavender aura surrounded the sleeping forms of Boshi and Kima.

Meeko fell to one knee and Shinji kneeled besides her."You okay?"

She ignored him and looked at Akiko and her brother."Capture them!Now!"

Makoto and Akiko nodded.Together they raised their weapons."Freeze!Snow!Return to thy true form!"The cards appeared out of the bodies of Boshi and Kima and turned into cards, floating to Akiko and Makoto. 

Makoto looked at Freeze in his hand."Why did it go to us?"

Shinji came up, supporting Meeko with one of her arms thrown over his back."You guys did the fighting.You guys deserve it."

Makoto mock glared at his sister. "Next time, don't get caught in a cage, will ya?"

Meeko smiled."I'll remember that."

Abbadon was bright with anger.Those brats were getting stronger!That… _Meeko_ and her brother especially.Their powers and reactions were faster than he had given them credit for.But not next time.He would take something away from them next time that would be impossible for them to get back.

The next day, Makoto and Meeko went up to their aunt."How did you know?"Meeko asked.

"I felt Fushuku's presence and saw Boshi and Kima disappear behind the courtyard.I knew something was up."

Makoto nodded."And tonight's the reception.Will there be trouble?"

Mizuki sensei sighed."I hope not, but if so, then we will have your parents there as well.Do not worry yourselves."

"Okay!"Both exclaimed.

Over at the other end of class, Shinji and Akiko talked to Boshi and Kima."So, you two don't remember anything about yesterday?"

Kima shook her head."You sure we both fell ill with heat exhaustion?"

Shinji sweat dropped."Yeah, that's what happened."

Akiko smiled."Just forget about it.You're alright now."

But as Akiko said this, all four cardcaptors knew, it was only temporary.More trouble was coming, and their friends and family were more of a target.They still had a long way to go.


	31. Musical Reprecussions

Second Generation Cardcaptors 31

Second Generation Cardcaptors 31

Akiko: Okay, Mizuki sensei had been trying to warn us about out classmates Boshi and Kima on what they were planning to do.Fushuku turned their anger against us full blow when he place Snow and Freeze inside them!They locked up Meeko and Shinji in an ice cage and attacked Makoto and me!Makoto was hurt, but I protected him with Fight!Meeko and Shinji finally for out of that cage and together we sealed the cards!Now comes the recital!Just another day in the world of magic I guess.

Meeko, Makoto, and Shinji were all hanging out over at Akiko's house where Eriol could do some last minute instruction to Meeko and Tomoyo and Akiko could do a duet!

"Play something good!"Makoto shouted from the couch.

"Something fast!"Shinji added, sitting next to Makoto.

Eriol grinned."Meeko, May I?"She nodded and scooted over, giving Eriol full use of the piano.

He ran a hand expertly down the keys in an awesome slide and brought down both hands forcefully to play "Fruits Candy".

Tomoyo and Akiko caught on right away and began singing.Akiko pulled Meeko onto the "stage" and got her singing too.The boys just laughed, so Tomoyo got them up and tried to get them to join in.Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy with boys as it was for girls.

Meeko won out when she gave Shinji puppy eyes.He took the mic and sang the next verse.Makoto took it as a challenge when Shinji sang so well and grabbed the other mic.The girls sang in the background and when Eriol ended on another impromptu piece, the five performers broke out in laughs and giggles.

"Shinji!You were so good!"Meeko complimented.

"You too, Makoto!"Akiko echoed.

Both boys blushed.

Meeko grinned."The only reason Makoto can sing on stage is because he practices with a broom in his boxers on the living room couch!"She teased.

"I do not!"Makoto dove for his sister, but she squealed and hid behind Shinji.Shinji was tackled instead and the two started wrestling.

The girls snuck away while Makoto tried to get up from Shinji pinning him.

"Give up!"Shinji shouted.

Makoto struggled."No way!Never!"He flipped Shinji off him and got up to try and tackle him again when something soft and fuzzy hit him from behind."Nani?"

Akiko laughed from behind him, holding a pillow."Be nice!"

Shinji laughed, but was soon hit himself by another pillow.

Meeko giggled."You be nice too Shinji-kun!Or else!"

The boys rubbed their heads and exchanged looks.One…Two…Three!They turned and grabbed the girls' legs, making them fall to the floor.The girls fought back and got a couple hits with the pillows before they were taken away.

"Tickle attack!"Makoto shouted and began tickling Akiko, relentlessly.

Shinji was tickling Meeko too, but she was a Li after all.She began tickling back and managed to get Shinji tearing with laughter and ended up pining him!

Makoto and Akiko stopped when Akiko gave up and Makoto looked over at Shinji."You're pathetic.She pinned you?"

Meeko raised an eyebrow."If you remember, I pin you all the time when we wrestle at home!"

Shinji and Akiko laughed, while Makoto pouted.

Tomoyo and Eriol sat at the piano, watching the fun scene."Is it almost time?"Tomoyo asked.

Eriol shook his head slowly."They still have some cards to capture.I think I'll wait before testing them."

Tomoyo nodded."Come on.Let's let them have their fun while it lasts."

In his hidden lair, Abbadon laughed."Yes, while it lasts.Which won't be long.Servant!"

Fushuku came into the room in a hustle and bowed."Yes, my Lord?"

"Have the preparations begun?"

Fushuku nodded."Yes, but may I ask, what soldiers will you be using?"

Abbadon put a clawed hand to his chin in thought."Hmmm, I believe I'll use a fairly different approach."He stood up."Bring me the girl."

"Yes, my Lord."Fushuku got up and left the room.

Hitori sat alone in her cell, her "mother", Madoushi, locked in a sleeping spell next to her in a different cell.Madoushi hadn't all been bad.It was all Abbadon's fault! He had begun to control Madoushi from his world and tainted her. Hitori would make all this right.She wasn't dead yet.

Hitori gasped as the door to the dungeon opened.Fushuku came in and opened the cell door."His lordship wants to see you."Before Hitori could react, Fushuku threw forward yellow glowing chains that latched around Hitori's throat and wrists. "Don't try anything."He said firmly.

Hitori pouted."Jerk."With a yank, he led her out of the cell to Abbadon.

When they returned, Abbadon held a Clow Card in his hand.It was the Create.He smirked as he saw thrown before him. "It seems another opportunity to destroy those _friends_ of yours has arrived."He showed her the card.

Hitori growled."Hey!That's mine!"

"That is true."Abbadon admitted."And you will be the one to use it against the cardcaptors."

Hitori gasped."I'd rather be trapped in the fiery pits of hell with the devil himself, than hurt my friends!"She shouted.

"I've been there.It's not where you'd want to build a summer home and it's awfully lonely.But that can be arranged."He said in a low, menacing voice.

Hitori stayed silently firm.

"Very well.If you do not wish to cooperate, then you leave me no choice."He went back and saw down on his throne.

"What are going to do with me?"

"Oh, don't think so highly of yourself, _child._"He turned to Fushuku."Bring her mother."

Hitori was shocked. "You wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't I?"He kept his face straight.

Hitori was silent for a moment, before sighing in defeat."Fine, just leave her alone."

"I thought so."Abbadon smiled.Now, everything was set.

Nightfall came, and Meeko peaked out from behind the curtains of the outside stage."Look at all those people…"

"Don't worry.You'll do just fine."Shinji said behind her.

Sakura and Syaoran were also backstage, wishing their children for the best.

"Good luck!"Syaoran said. "Oww!"Sakura hit him on the head."I mean…break a leg!"The kids laughed and Sakura and Syaoran rejoined the rest of the parents in the audience.

"Aren't you going too, Makoto?"Akiko asked.She and Meeko were dressed in Akiko's own best creations for the recital.It was a yellow dress for Akiko and a red one for Meeko (to match their auras), both with blue and black music notes on them. 

Makoto looked down at the floor, embarrassed."Why would I want to?I'm closer to you here."Akiko blushed and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Meeko gave Shinji a peck too and ran off to the stage entrance.

Mizuki sensei took hold of the mic and winked at her husband in the audience."Next we have Meeko and Akiko performing "Yasashisa no Tane"."

Meeko and Akiko smiled and went out onstage, getting to their placed.Everyone applauded and cheered, then settles down as the girls stood ready.

As soon as Meeko took her seat, she froze._Clow Ka-do no kehai ga._ (I sense a Clow Card) She pushed the feeling aside, momentarily and put her hand on the piano.That's when it all went bad.

A purple glow came off the piano and when Meeko tried to start her song, all the notes either were flat or sharp.

Akiko took a hold of the mic and a pinkish aura surrounded her.When she opened her mouth…nothing came out!No voice, no singing, nothing! She went into her pocket and found the Silent card still there, so why couldn't she speak?

Meeko had given up on the piano and stood up abruptly._Brother!Something's wrong!_

Makoto and Shinji were out instantly."Akiko!What's wrong?"

She put a hand to her throat, to indicate she couldn't speak.

"What's up with the piano?"Shinji asked.

Before he could be answered, screams were heard from the crowd.The four cardcaptors turned and saw human shaped shadows with red eyes appear from underneath the ground and start attacking the people!Most ran away, others fainted.Sakura and Syaoran went back-to-back, weapons at the ready.Tomoyo ran off to the side, out of harm's way, and took out her trusty video camera.Eriol took out his staff, and Yukito, who was able to come to the recital, transformed into Yue.

"What are they?"Sakura asked.

"I know of these!They are Shadow Soldiers!They belong to Abbadon!But they should still be sealed away!"Eriol said.

Abbadon nodded in amusement, watching all of it, from a bubble view screen."Yes, they are sealed away.These are not real, yet effective."Hitori laid in the corner, holding the Create Card in her hand, her body glowing a dark blue color.She had to use all her strength to control so many soldiers.It was tiring her out.Abbadon smiled."Try and get out of this one."

Hitori whimpered."I'm sorry…"

Yue used his crystal attack on them, but it went through them instead!

Syaoran and Sakura split up and one of the shadows wrapped an ugly arm around Syaoran's neck."So…you wanna play huh?Fine with me!"He took a hold of the arm and flipped it over him.

Sakura used her staff to beat one over the head, then flip-twisted into the air and made two more run into each other.

Eriol tried his fireball attack out of his staff, but it wasn't working either. "Only physical attacks work?" He wondered.

On stage, while the kids watched their parents fight, Song appeared form out of the piano, glowing a darker purple than it usually did.

Akiko saw it, but couldn't warn the others.Frantically, she called out in her mind. _Makoto!Behind you!_

Makoto turned around and saw Song, just floating there."Look!What is it waiting for?"

Shinji thought for a moment."Song has the power to recreate any song it hears.But there's no music, so it's silent."

"What made it screw up the piano?"Meeko asked.

"That had to be Abbadon's fault."Shinji concluded.

Akiko remembered back when her mother had told her about when Sakura had captured Song.Tomoyo had to sing her song just right and Song was satisfied enough to submit.But Akiko didn't have her voice…Her voice?That's it!_Makoto!Voice!Voice has control of me!That's why I can't talk!_

Makoto looked over at Akiko._How do we get it out?_

Akiko bit her lip in bewilderment._Mom said it is brought out by song…or anything that sounds pretty._

Makoto frowned."But none of us can sing…" He muttered.

"What was that?"Shinji asked his friend.

Makoto turned to him."Akiko says its Voice that has control of her.We have to capture Song and use it to get Voice out into the open."

"Then how do we capture Song?"Meeko asked.

Shinji snapped his fingers."You!"He looked at Meeko, who in return blinked in confusion."You have to sing and beat it!Then it'll see you as it's new mistress!"

Meeko took a step back."B-but I can't sing!"

"Yes you can!What about back at Auntie Tomoyo's house?"Makoto reminded her.

"We had music then!If I sing without music, I go off key!"She exclaimed.

Makoto grinned."Then we'll get you music.Come on Shinji!"He ran off stage, and went into the back.

The parents continued to fight against the Shadow Soldiers, but there were too many of them!And they just kept coming!

Sakura took out another card."Shadow!"The tall, hooded Clow Card appeared and awaited its orders."Fight against the Shadow Soldiers!"The card nodded and took off.

Syaoran jumped back to Sakura's side."You think it'll work?"

Sakura shrugged."Got a better idea?"

Shadow howled and threw its arm out to smack three Shadow Soldiers about ten feet away.Syaoran thought back to when he had spied on Sakura when she had captured Shadow the first time.

"Try Windy.That'll at least tie them down."Mizuki said, suddenly besides her.

Sakura nodded."Windy!Form a ribbon to hold down the shadow beasts!"Windy was dispelled and split into dozens of ropes, each rapping around the shadows and making them powerless.

Eriol growled as the shadows easily broke the ribbons and got angrier, their eyes now glowing bright red."They're too strong!Illusions or not, we can't hold out much longer!"

Meeko watched in horror, as the shadows got closer."We have to do something!"  
Akiko nodded her agreement.

"Here comes the cavalry!"Touya jumped into the fray, and punched one that was about to prance on his wife and sister."These things are really starting to piss me off."

Sakura was shocked."Oniichan!"

Touya winked."Do you really think I'd leave and let that gaki try to defend you?"

Syaoran growled and made a fist."Why you…"

"Look out!"Kaho (Mizuki sensei) threw her hand forward and blasted another shadow beast with a red beam.

Eriol smirked."It's been a while since I've seen you do that."

Yue was above them, watching with careful eyes."We must stop them, quickly, before more people get involved."

Back on stage, Makoto, with Shinji's help, brought out the drum set and guitar from another performance earlier that night, and started to set them up.

"What are you doing?"Meeko asked.

Shinji took a seat at the drums."You needed music right?"

Makoto smirked and plugged in the acoustic guitar."You got it."He took a strum at the strings and blasted a loud C chord."You don't think all those hours of practicing on my broom were for nothing, do you?"

Akiko handed Meeko the mic, who gulped."You guys don't really think I can…"

"We _know_ you can." Shinji said, winking.He picked up the sticks and began a nice beat on the drums.It was the music of "Koko no Kite."One he knew Meeko knew by heart.

Meeko took a deep breath and began to sing the song.

yuuhi ga akaku sougen ni furu yo  
hi no you ni  
yoru no sora ga hoshi o egaki dasu  
hitotsu zutsu  
  
hitomi wo tojite, kokoro no naka o mitsumeteru  
dare o matsu no?  
chiheisen no mukou kara  
kikoete kuru koe o kiite iru  
koko ni kite

As expected, Song tried to beat Meeko in the song, and the two did a dual, but ultimately, Meeko won out, and by the end of the song, Song had submitted.Meeko grinned, taking out her wand."Return to the shape you were meant to be!Clow Card!"Song turned into a card, and floated to Meeko's hand.

In all the singing that had been going on, Voice appeared from in side the mic, and tried to make a dash at Meeko, to get her voice too.It was now a deep magenta, instead of the light pink aura it had before.

Meeko screamed and called out Fly and took to the air, barely dodging Voice.

"Oh no you don't!"Shinji said, taking to the air as well, and pulling Meeko to the side, dodging yet another dive from Voice.

Akiko growled.No one messed with her friends.NO one.She took out her staff and waited until the right moment, when Voice wasn't paying attention.Then, suddenly, Makoto appeared behind her, knowing full well she couldn't seal it, if she didn't say the words.So, he placed his hands around her, on the staff, and said them for her."To thy true form, Clow Card!"

Voice gasped and materialized into its card form, floating over to Akiko.At its mouth, a yellow glowing ball appeared and flew to Akiko's throat.

"Akiko?"Makoto asked worriedly.

She took a pause before saying."Makoto?"

"It worked!It worked!"Makoto picked up Akiko and twirled her around happily.She giggled in response.

With the cards out of the way, Meeko now planned to help their parents.She saw them being surrounded by the Shadow Soldiers."Oh no!Shinji!We have to help them!"

Shinji saw his father shoot an arrow, but the creatures dodged it.They cringed as the light went by them.

They cringed…when the light…

"Soda! (That's it!)"Shinji exclaimed._Tell your mom to use Light!_

Meeko nodded."Mom!Try the Light Card!"

Sakura heard her daughter and took out the card."Light!"

Light was released and its brightness shone all over the area.The Shadow Beasts howled and moved back.

Touya smirked."So, the idiots are afraid of light huh?"He threw a kick out and knocked on reeling back.

Syaoran did a dragon kick and hit back another.

"The light also seems to weaken them."Eriol commented.

Meeko got an idea."Arrow!Light!"Her bow and Arrow appeared in her hands, but when she pulled back on the string, the front of the arrow became illuminated in a bright yellow and white light.She let it fly at one of the shadow monsters that was attacked her father, and it screamed before it disappeared.

Syaoran turned to his daughter."Arigatou."

Meeko bowed and flew over the beasts again, shooting more light arrows at them.

Sakura caught on, as well as Yue, who began attacking them all as well.The beasts were thrown into confusion, and that's when Touya, Eriol, and Kaho, used their tricks and took out the rest of them

Hitori was too exhausted to keep the spell up any longer, and went unconscious.The Shadow Soldiers disappeared and Abbadon roared in anger."Take her back to her cell!They have won this round."

The cardcaptor group rejoiced.Everything was as it was before, except the chairs and stage were thrown into disarray.Makoto sweat dropped."Um…how do we fix this?"

Tomoyo laughed and walked up."Easy.Eriol, dear?"

Eriol smirked and turned to Kaho."Shall we?"

Kaho nodded."Let's."They used their combined powers and everything was enveloped in a red light.The group cringed and when the light died down…everything was fixed, neat and tidy.

The people started to come to and the rest came out of hiding, wondering what the heck they had just witnessed.

Sakura took out her card."My turn."She said."Erase!"She used the card to erase everyone's memory."Time!"She used another card and went back in time to _before_ the recital started.

Kaho smiled."I believe we have a performance to complete."

Meeko grinned."I got a better idea."

The recital began and Mizuki sensei once again took her spot at the front of the stage."Next we have Meeko, Makoto, Shinji_ and_ Akiko, singing "Give A Reason"."

Shinji picked up the sticks on the drums."And a one, two, one, two, three, FOUR!"He started hitting on the drums, Meeko brought down her hands full force on the piano, streaming out a fast, rapid tune.Makoto started low, slow chords on the guitar, and Akiko opened her eyes at the front of the stage, and with a smile on her face, began singing the words.

The parents thoroughly enjoyed themselves and began dancing in front of the base of the stage.The audience clapped and laughed, amazed at what four kids could do.

At the end of the song, the four kids ended on the same note and jumped into the air."Oh YEAH!"


	32. Test of Virtue

Second Generation Cardcaptors 32

Second Generation Cardcaptors 32

Touya: I have to do one now?Just because that cotton ball doesn't want to play by the rules?Kero: Hey!I said what had to be said!And you are just as bad now as you were in high school! Touya: What was that, plush toy?I'll show you!Get back here!*chases after Kero*Syaoran: Hey!Only I can chase him and beat up on him!I can't believe I'm related to you!*chases after Touya*Touya: *looks back*It wasn't by choice!Syaoran:I'll show you what happens when you beat up on my living punching bag!*tackles Touya*Kero: *growl*I don't need your help, Gaki!*dives into the brawl*Sakura: *sighs and sweat drops*Shall I do that summary?Digi: *shakes her head*Can't…no time left.Just let them read the next chapter.Sakura: *nods* Hoe…

Hitori awoke, still in her cell.She felt tired from controlling so many creations with the Create Card, so it had been three days she had been out.Now though, Abbadon's rule would end.Because although Abbadon _believed_ he had the _real_ Create Card now, he didn't.During her little use of the card, she had created an identical replica for the demonic resident of Hell to keep, while she used the real one to contact her friends.

Because even though, she could easily make a sword or what not to get out, Abbadon had too many forces and Fushuku was too powerful.Plus, she wanted to save her mother as well, and she needed the cardcaptors's help.

Closing her eyes, she called upon the power of the Create Card quietly, so as to not attract any attention.She created a small pad of paper and a pencil and wrote out a letter to the cardcaptors.Then she made a messenger pigeon to fit through the bars of the cell and out the slightly opened window to the outside world…

Hitori looked up in hope. "Please, help me…onegai…"

School let out for the day and the guys walked out of P.E. while the girls came back from their music class.They met in the courtyard and started walking home.While they chatted about the day's events, then a bird came down and dropped a letter into Shinji's unknowingly awaiting hand."Nani?"

Everyone crowded around him as he opened the letter and read it out loud."It's from Hitori!"He said, enthusiastically."It says: I am alive, for now, being held by Abbadon along with my mother.Please, you must try and find our location and save us!I have the Create, but I can't leave my mom!She may not have always been nice to you, but it wasn't her fault!I'll explain more when you come!Capture the cards, because you'll need them!It's the only way to seal the demon away!Hurry and may Kami-sama give you his blessing."He ended and everyone was silent.

"At least we know she's alive!"Meeko said, trying to cheer everyone up.

"Hai, I owe her my life."Akiko said, having been told that it was Hitori who had told Makoto about the stone.

"Let's get home and tell mom and dad then!"Makoto said.

They all agreed, but had to go there separate ways.Akiko had a meeting to go with her mother and father, and Shinji was supposed to meet his father at home for a talk.

They said goodbye and promise to call each other that evening.

Shinji sighed and stuffed his hands down into his pockets.If Abbadon was so powerful…how were they going to stop him? He had no doubt that they would, but it would be hard.

Back at home, Yue and Ruby Moon watched with interest."Is it time?"She asked.

Yue nodded, face expressionless."Yes.It begins."His eyes glowed white and he began to channel his power…

Shinji gasped as he heard Meeko scream.But…didn't she already go home?

"Shinji!!"

He gasped.Now he was _sure_ he had heard her.Taking a quick look around, he saw no one was around, so he revealed his wings, and flew to where he heard her voice coming from.And what he saw made him freeze in mid air.

Meeko struggled, being held in the large arms of Abbadon.Abbadon smirked."So…the little angel boy decides to come and visit, ne?"He taunted.

Shinji growled."Let her go!"

Abbadon scoffed."You wish!You'll have to defeat me, if you want her back!"He threw her aside, letting Fushuku hold onto her on the side.He took out a large red hilted sword, while Shinji took out his staff.

Shinji didn't want to fight him, but he would if it meant getting Meeko out of danger!He would protect her with his life!Since the others weren't around, he would have to fend for himself.

Abbadon made the first move, thrusting in with his sword, trying to stab Shinji through the stomach.Shinji dodged to the side, and attacked Abbadon from behind.He got a couple hits, which only seemed to anger the demon more.Abbadon backhanded Shinji, who went flying into a tree.

Shinji was dazed, but fought himself to stay conscious.If he lost…then Meeko.No!He wouldn't allow it!He took out his cards."Windy!Bind down the beast which threatens me!"He struck the card, but nothing happened."Nani?"

Abbadon came rushing at him.Since normal magic didn't work…he'd have to use his own.Shinji threw his hand forward, and with eyes glowing white, a white blast formed in his hand, slamming Abbadon back.

"That wasn't very smart, _boy_."Abbadon let out a beastly howl and attacked with a multitude of red magic balls, which Shinji dodged for the most part.He began to tire, though, and a couple hit his wings, making him falling to the ground."Allow me to introduce my friends…" Abbadon made a gesture with his clawed hand and two forms appeared next to him.

Shinji gasped."Clow Cards?"

Indeed, it was Shot and Through, eyes glowing red, and evil smirked forming on their lips."Destroy him!"Abbadon ordered.

Shot was the first to pull itself into a ball of light and began shooting at Shinji, shot after shot.Shinji jumped and danced, trying to dodge its attacks.With the extra power Abbadon fed it, its accuracy was growing incredibly fast.

Through joined in the fray, trying to capture Shinji in its hula-hoop of darkness.

Shinji grimaced, as Shot grazed his arm, then his leg, making him fall to his knees._If they keep this up, I'll be shish kabob by dinnertime!_

__Through made a dive for Shinji, who barely rolls to the side.He dove to the side, so Shot and Through were on opposite ends.He had only once chance at his wild idea.Shot smirked, thinking it had won, and released a blast aimed right at Shinji's heart.

Through, thinking _it_ had won, also made a dive at Shinji.

Shinji acted fast, his moves a blur.He swung his staff at Shot's attack, making it bound back, hitting the card, and careening it back into a tree.He glanced up and saw Through coming down behind him.He did a back flip, watching Through hit the ground before him.He drew out a card."Windy!"Windy blew Through towards Shot, accidently swallowing up its fellow card!

Through, which was made to take in solid objects, thrashed and shivered, as it held Shot, a being of magic, within its dimensions.It was too much for either card, and when Through spit out Shot, both collapsed to the ground.

Shinji jumped forward, sealing staff at hand."Return to thy true form!Clow Cards!"Both cards went to either end, and turned back into cards, floating over to Shinji without any more resistance.

Abbadon was more than a little displeased."You may think you've won, but you are wrong!"He got out his sword."Now you face me!"

"Not today!"Shinji used his new card."Shot!"Shot was released and attacked Abbadon, already being accurate, on the already large target.Abbadon let out a scream, as black blood oozed from the wounds.

"Through!Return Abbadon to his lair!"Through was also released, and swallowed up Abbadon in one bite and the demon disappeared.

Shinji, who was unknowingly glowing with a bright white light, glared at Fushuku."Let.Her.Go."He said, firmly, feeling stronger than he ever had.When Fushuku hesitated, Shinji raised a hand over his head, lowering it in an arc, and creating a gray-white hued bow.Pulling back his other hand, an arrow formed.

He released it without second thought, and its path was straight and true, hitting Fushuku's exposed forehead, inches above Meeko's own.Fushuku screamed and also disappeared.

Shinji, suddenly feeling weak from the battle, collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily.

He looked up and saw Meeko smile…then fade away.He opened his mouth in shock…

"You did well, son."

Shinji turned around and saw Yue and Ruby Moon fly down from above.

"Huh?What just happened here?"He asked, struggling to get to his feet, but not succeeding.

Ruby Moon landed besides him, and placed a hand on his arm, surrounding him in a maroon aura and healing all his wounds.

Yue stepped forward."Do you love Meeko?"He asked, simply.

Shinji was shocked at the question, though the answer was evident."More than anything."

"Would you sacrifice your life for her?"He followed up.

Again, the answer came from his heart."A thousand times over."

Satisfied with the answers, Yue raised a hand."Kneel."

Shinji did as told and closed his eyes.

"By passing the test and proving yourself worthy, I, Yue, servant to Clow Reed and Protector of the Card Mistress, grant you the title of guardian of the Clow Descendant and future Clow Mistress, Li Meeko.I beseech these powers upon to honor you and aide you in protecting the one you have been tied to by destiny."Yue said."You may rise."

Shinji stood up, speechless by this new turn of events.

"You are now Meeko's guardian.Just like I am Sakura's guardian.Your love for her will forever bind you and strengthen you.Your wisdom will guide you.Congratulations."

Ruby Moon smiled and hugged her son.Shinji smiled."Can I go see her?"He stopped."The real one?"

Yue nodded."By all means."

Shinji smiled widely and stretched out his wings, taking to the air, and going straight to Meeko's house.

Meeko frowned up at her father."So, he has to pass the test to become a guardian?"

Syaoran nodded."Yes, just as Yue did."

"What if he doesn't?"Makoto said.

Meeko turned and punched him in the arm."Don't say stuff like that!"

Just then, there was a knock at the door.Meeko ran from the kitchen table and ran to the door, throwing it open.Relieve washed over her face when her deep amber eyes befell Shinji, smiling, arms outstretched.She leapt into his arms and he hugged her close.

"I did it." He said into her ear, gently."I am forever your guardian and protector.I will make sure nothing ever comes close to harming you."He held her tight.

Meeko felt a tear of joy fall down her cheek."I'm just happy you're alright!I was so worried about you!"

Shinji pulled away and wiped the tear away with his finger."Well you don't need to worry anymore.Whatever's out there, we will face it together."

Sakura sighed and put her head on Syaoran's shoulder."They look so cute together.Shinji becoming a guardian at such a young age really changes things."

"Hai, Shinji will be much more powerful now."He said, but there was something in his voice that could be described as…worry?

Sakura, knowing her husband for so long picked it up."What's wrong?"

Syaoran sighed."Speaking about passing things so young, it was I who passed the Li Clan test at the youngest age.Clow Reed created it for all his clansman."

"So?"Then she stopped, and looked over at her children, Meeko and Makoto, conversing with Shinji."You think he will test them now?"

The Clan Monarch shrugged."Whenever he feels they are ready."

Sakura took his hand, sharing in his moment of worry."Let's just hope they do they're best, huh?"

"And survived."


	33. Small Surprises/Big Adventures

Second Generation 33

Second Generation 33

Syaoran: *looks down in shame* I guess since I messed up last time, Sakura wants me to do it this time. Sakura:*smacks him with her wand* Syaoran: Ow!I said I'd do it! *Sighs* Alright, last time, Shinji walked Meeko and Makoto, along with Akiko home, but soon faced the phantom version of Abbadon as his trial to become Meeko's guardian and protector, just like Yue did before he came to test Sakura, all those years ago.He captured Shot and Through and used Shot to defeat "Abbadon".So now he is Meeko's protector and soon the Li kids will face their own test.*looks to Sakura* There happy?Sakura: *nods and smiles, then leans in and kisses him* Arigatou.Syaoran: *blushes and looks to audience* Well go on!Read the story!

Meeko sat in her room and sighed.She was happier than she had ever been in her life.Shinji had come over earlier that day and brought her a small bouquet of roses.She was so surprised!She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.He smiled and had hugged her back, saying he would call later.

That was why Meeko sat at her phone right now, practically staring at it, waiting for it to ring so she could hear Shinji's voice again.Whenever she thought of him, his soft silver-white hair, flowing down his shoulders, his beautiful gray eyes and handsome smile.

Even as a child she had secretly liked the neighborhood boy.Then he had left, and she was devastated.It had been because of the cards that he returned, but Meeko didn't care.He was back and here to stay, so long as she cards were out to cause havoc.That kinda made Meeko want the cards to stay out there forever.

The room was unusually quiet.Her parents were downstairs in the basement, practicing with their magic in the training room.She could feel their magic sometimes going against each other in small sparing matches, or together, when they fought a magical makeshift opponent.She smiled.Her parents were so strong in their abilities; she only hoped her and Makoto were that strong too.

What about Makoto, you ask?

Meeko smiled wide.He was with Akiko on another date to the movies.It was cute how those two were.It had taken every trick in the book for Shinji and herself to get them together.Meeko as glad it hadn't taken that much for Shinji to ask her out.He was so strong and unafraid that way.Or so she believed.

Abbadon watched the lone picture of the smiling Meeko with disgust.Those cardcaptors had done enough to ruin his plans.It was time he targeted them personally.Abbadon raised his staff and called forth two cards.These will work nicely.

The two cards, stood next to each other, eyes blank, still under the spell Abbadon had cast on them.He smirked."Go, now.Attack the descendants of Clow Reed and destroy them!"

Both cards nodded and twirled in a small display of magic before disappearing.

_Yes…these will do quite nicely._

Meeko sat in her room still, flipping through her photo album to pass the time.She saw pictures from the fair, pictures from the movies; even one Shinji had taken with Glow setting the mood on their first date.She smiled at the memories, then frowned as a thought came to mind.At all those occasions, a Clow Card had interrupted them.When would they capture them all?When would Abbadon be sealed away for good?And could it be done?

Suddenly, Meeko felt a strong power enter her room in a fast moving wind.The wind swirled around her and the magic seemed to attack her, enter her very veins.It frightened Meeko.She couldn't get away and she closed her eyes against the feelings that were enveloping her.She did the only thing she could do.

She screamed.

Downstairs, Sakura and Syaoran stopped abruptly, sensing the intense magic above them.Then they heard Meeko's scream.

"Meeko!"Sakura ran to the door and lunged up the stairs, Syaoran right behind her.

Makoto gasped and sat up straight in his seat.Akiko frowned and turned to him, watching his eyes flick back and forth as if trying to find something.

"Makoto, what's wrong?"She asked, ever so quietly, so as not to disturb he other moviegoers.

Makoto tried to sense for his sister's presence, but it seemed to disappear."Meeko…I can't feel her."He tried again, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth as sudden pain came to him.He doubled over and Akiko had to catch him from falling out of his chair.

"Makoto!"She gasped and held him close.

After the episode ended, Makoto shot to his feet."Meeko's in trouble!"He didn't bother to apologize to the people who were shushing him and trying to watch the movie.He ran out of the building and used Dash, while carrying Akiko, to get home as fast as he could.

At his home, Shinji also felt something was wrong, and when Meeko's pain reached him, he felt her scream his name._Shinji!!_Then, he felt nothing.

He threw open the window and jumped out, his wings coming out by command.Then he flew as fast as his wings would carry him.When he got to Meeko's window, Sakura and Syaoran were already there, Sakura on the brink of tears.She sat on Meeko's bed…but there was no Meeko in sight.

"Where is she?"Sakura asked out loud.

Syaoran shook his head and shrugged."I don't know.I can sense her, but its so small, weak.She could be hurt."

Shinji crouched in the windowsill."Could she have been kidnapped?"

Syaoran shook his head."It's possible."

"Shinji!"

Shinji turned around and saw Makoto coming as fast as he could to their house."It's your sister!She's missing!"Shinji yelled to the approaching figure.

Makoto's eyes widened and he immediately used jump to get to the window, while Akiko had to use the front door.Makoto moved into his house, passing Shinji, and knelt by his mother."Mom, what happened?"

Sakura looked up with tears in her eyes."We felt the magic, swirling, controlled, no…not controlled…targeting.It was uncontrolled, but it was definitely after Meeko."

Syaoran nodded."If that retched demon does anything to harm my daughter, he's going to wish he were back in hell."He said through gritted teeth.

Akiko entered the room."We have to find her!"

Meeko looked to his mother and father and back and forth."We can split up.Akiko and I will check one side of town, you and mom check the other."He told his father.

Syaoran agreed and gently took Sakura's hands and left the room.

Makoto turned to Shinji."We'll search from the ground, but we need you to search the sky."

Shinji agreed and watched as Meeko and Akiko ran out of the room.

Then he sighed and dropped down into the room himself.He sat on the bottom bunk, Meeko's bunk.He held up her teddy bear and held it close to his heart.He really did it this time.Some guardian he was.He had just become her protector a few days ago, and already she had been kidnapped, or killed, or Kami-sama knows what!

He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes."I will find you.I promise you Meeko."He got up and stretched out his wings behind him, then got on the windowsill, ready to leave and search for his loved one…

Meeko opened her eyes, and groaned as she held her hands in her head."I feel like I've been run over by three of Abbadon's evil centaurs."

She looked up and tried to figure out where she was.There was a large curly thing next to her, made of plastic, so she used it to climb up and get a better look at her surroundings.

And when she did, she gasped.

Everything was huge!But she recognized everything.The curly thing underneath her was her phone cord!There was giant twin bunk beds in front of her were hers and her brother's!So what was going here?

"I will find you.I promise you, Meeko."

That was Shinji's voice!Meeko looked and saw Shinji at the windowsill, ready to take off!_No!__I'm right here!_She shouted and shouted, but her voice wasn't carrying.Then she noticed it.She was only about four inches tall!

The wind…and the magic!It was the Little!That was what happened!And no one could see her or hear her!She had to get his attention!

She looked down at where she stood and saw the phone was still faced up.She desperately jumped down and landed on the numbers.She began dialing anything she could, stepping on them with her foot, or punching them with her fist.She had to get his attention or no one would ever find her!

Shinji stopped when he heard the small beeps of the phone being dialed.She whipped around and shouted."Who's there?"

No one answered, so her frowned and went over to the telephone.

And nearly jumped back in fright and relief.

There, out of breathe and small as never before, stood Meeko, wearing the outfit she had been earlier that day, when he first delivered the gift of roses.

"Meeko!"He ran over to her and knelt down so he was relatively at eye level with her.

"The small, Shinji!It was the small!"Meeko shouted, so Shinji could hear her.

Shinji nodded."Don't move.I have to get everyone's attention."He slowly got up and went to the window, then flew to the rooftop, and shot one of his arrows into the air.It exploded and went off like fireworks.He smiled. "I love my new powers."

Makoto and Akiko, along with Sakura and Syaoran were there within minutes."Did you find her?"Makoto asked.

Shinji nodded."Get up here!"

They did and frowned when they couldn't see her.

"I thought you said you found her."Syaoran said, growing more confused.

"I did."Shinji replied, as a matter of fact."She's right here."He turned his back to them, and when he turned to face them once more, he held his hands up, and Meeko was there, crossing her arms in aggravation.

"The Little shrunk me!"She shouted.

Sakura withheld a giggle."Oh, Meeko.I'm so glad you're safe!"She took her daughter from Shinji's open palms and hugged her daughter close.

"Mom!You're going to crush me!Stop!"

Syaoran gently lowered his wife's hands down, so Meeko could breathe.Sakura smiled bashfully."Gomen, I was just so worried."

Meeko nodded."How are we going to get me back to normal size?"

"We can use the Big card I have…"

Shinji shook his head and cut Sakura's suggestion off."Can't.You two are not permitted to interfere.Only the second set of Clow Cards can be used to save Meeko.We must find the Big card and use it to fix Meeko's…state."

Syaoran sighed."Fine, you three find the Big card.Meeko stays here."

"No way!I may be small, but I will help them find the Clow Card!"Meeko shouted.

"Meeko, dear.It's dangerous out there.Especially in your condition."Sakura said."I should know.I've been there."Sakura smiled."If it hadn't been for Kero-chan, I would never have made it through."

Meeko thought for a moment."Lend me the stuffed animal."

Syaoran let out a short laugh at his daughter."I don't think he'll agree."

"We should at least try."Makoto said, supporting his sister."Where is he anyway?"

"Where else?Sleeping on our bed."Syaoran said, crossing his arms.

"Let's go then.The sooner I get out of this body, the sooner I get capture the Little personally."

Shinji nodded and slowly took her out of the room and over to the parent's bedroom._This is going to be interesting._

It took some convincing, but they did it.Kero agreed to help on the condition that he be fed a small piece of cake everyday for a month."I can't believe I agreed to be used for a riding animal!I'm the guardian beast of the seal!"Kero complained as Meeko held onto his fur and rode him like a flying horse.

"Oh come on, Kero.Could you really say no to me?"Meeko gave him an innocent look.

"Yes!"Kero said, huffing and puffing, while flying besides Shinji in the air.

"We should be able to spot it easier from the air.But if not, Makoto and Akiko have the ground."Shinji said."Where do we look next?"

Meeko closed her eyes and tried to sense where the card was."Um…how about we try Town Square?Isn't that where it was last time?"She remembered Tomoyo's tapes on that particular capture.

Kero nodded."I sense it coming from that direction."He dove down, and Shinji followed.

They landed soundlessly, and looked around their surroundings."Where is it?"

Suddenly, a giant fly came buzzing down their way, and they had to duck or dodged to get out of the way.

"What the heck was that!?"Shinji shouted, getting out his staff.

"That was the result of the Big card!"Kero shouted."It's over that way!"He pointed over to the right, and sure enough, the Big card sat, smirking at the incoming enemies.

Shinji stood in front of Kero and Meeko."I'll handle this!"

Before he could attack, Big waved its wand, and Shinji's staff became the size of a tree.He dropped it and almost crushed his toe underneath it."Rats!My sealing staff!"

Big smirked and stood up, easily reaching seven or eight feet in height.Shinji gritted his teeth and tried to think up a plan.

Meeko growled in annoyance at not being able to help, and turned her head to the side, only to find…"The Little!"She pointed and turned Kero's head din the right direction."Get me over there!"

"Okay!Okay!No need to pull on the ears!"Kero flew over towards Little, who, instead of running away, jumped out and tried to tackle them.Kero barely dodged."What us up with it!It never is this aggressive!"

"It has to be Abbadon!He must have tainted them like he did the other cards!"Meeko shouted, struggling to stay on.

Little began shrinking everything within arms length, which wasn't much, but it bounced around finding more and flung it at the guardian beast and Li Descendant.

Kero dodged a shrunken carousel horse, but was hit by a small bush.It flung him to the side, and Meeko went flying off.

She would have hit the ground, except for the fact that Akiko as there to catch her."Be careful.Another inch and you would have cracked the cement floor."

Meeko looked up with anime spinning eyes."Thanks, Akiko."

Makoto appeared besides Akiko."With all the excitement you guys are having over here, it was almost impossible not to find you."He said."Akiko, watch my sister, I'm going to help angel boy."

"Makoto!"Meeko admonished.

Makoto smirked and ran over to Shinji, who had quickly created his bow and pulled back, forming an arrow."It made my sealing staff useless, so I'm restricted to this and any other magic I have."

Makoto nodded."You distract it, and I'll seal it."

Shinji nodded and flew to Big's other side.

Back with Akiko and Meeko, Little still hadn't seized its barrage and Akiko had been forced to pull out Fight, just to block all of the things flying their way."

"Can't you create your shields!?"Akiko asked, barely deflecting a flying table.

"Don't you think I've been trying!?I can't use a lot of my magic in this form!"

Kero flew and landed besides Meeko."You have to touch it again!"

Meeko opened her mouth in shock."Have you totally flipped or just left your brains back in Hong Kong?If I do that I'll be the size of a pea and then no one will be able to see me!"

Kero shook his head."You touch it again and it'll reverse the spell!"

Meeko nodded and jumped on Kero's back."Get me over behind it!Akiko, distraction!"

Akiko nodded. "Right!"She pulled out one of her cards."Snow!"

A small bundle of snow suddenly appeared above Little and completely covered the small card.

Kero landed behind the bundle, and Meeko jumped off.When Little raised its head above the snow, trying to shake off the bit of snow on top of its head, Meeko jumped and wrapped her arms around the Clow Card.

There was a swirl of magic and Meeko was her original size again.She held onto Little in her hand and pulled out her wand."Oh key of Clow, bestowed by right.Surrender the wand.Surrender the light.Release!!"

Before the Little could react, Meeko raised her wand."Little!Return to the form you were meant to be!Clow Card!"Little dissolved into a card and floated to Meeko's awaiting hand."All Right!"

Shinji was reluctant to use his arrows on Big.It was usually an easy capture.

Makoto had no such restrictions."I'm going to get this card no matter what it takes!"He still didn't know his sister was back to normal."Fiery!"

Fiery was expelled, and began throwing fireballs at Big."

"Stop it!That's overkill!"Shinji shouted.

But he didn't understand.NO one hurts Makoto's sister.And in his opinion, the Big was in league with the Little, so it would also pay.Big seemed to crumple down and Makoto pulled out his other card."Freeze!"Big was frozen in a large ice cube and Makoto raised his wand to seal it."Big, Return to the form you were mean to be!Clow Card!"

Big retracted into the small rectangular mass of magic and floated to Makoto's hand.Everything it had made large went back to its original size.Shinji went over and picked up his staff.

"Makoto!"Meeko shouted, running over to her brother and hugging him tight."Honto ni!Arigatou gozaimas!"

Makoto hugged back."I'm so glad you're okay!How'd you do it?"

Meeko beamed and showed him the Little, back into its original card form."I did it with Kero's help."Then she thought back."Where is Kero anyway?"

As if on cue, Kero came around the corner, walking back and forth, like he was drunk.When Meeko had become her regular size, she had accidentally crushed Kero under her."Which way did it go?Which way did it go?"Kero mumbled, small forms of Little and Big bouncing around his head.

Meeko gasped and ran over, picking up the small beast."Oh, I'm so sorry, Kero!I'll make it a cake a day.How about that?"

"That can be easily arranged."Akiko said.She pulled out her card."Sweet!"Suddenly, a large double chocolate pudding cake appeared in front of her.

Smelling it almost immediately, Kero opened his eyes and began drooling."Cake…" He said, sounding like a zombie.He flew over to it and dove into it, literally swimming in chocolate pudding.

All the kids laughed and were happy that another disaster was over.Only a few more cards left and then the real fight begins.


	34. Interfered Boredom

Second Generation 34

Second Generation 34

Shinji: Cards can be tricky sometimes and our last adventure was no exception.After Meeko went "missing", the rest of us went and tried to search for her.I found her, well more like she found me.The Little had shrunk her and made her a real life Thumbelina.Anyways, we decided to go out and find the Big card, who was suspected of causing more trouble, back in town.We found the Big, but it was under one of those attitude spells of Abbadon's.While Makoto and I tried to capture the Big, Akiko protected Meeko who was with Kero-chan, and they sealed the Little.So now everything's back to normal, well in size anyway.Kero: And I got my cake! *stuffs his face with pudding cake*

Akiko sat in her room, playing with a partially braided piece of her hair.She had spent the morning practicing her magic, reading her father's old magic books, reading her manga, and now she sat on her bed, trying to write a letter of love to Makoto.She had already tried a couple of times to get out on paper what she felt on the inside.It seemed impossible though!Already, her room trashcan was full of crumpled pieces of paper that were once letters that she found just not right.

Akiko wanted to just call Makoto and ask him to come over so maybe, if Kami-sama allowed, she could tell him what she felt in person.

She also thought of doing this, because she was bored out of her mind!Meeko and Makoto, along with their parents, were going to an opera that was in town.She got the feeling that neither Makoto nor Syaoran wanted to go, but she kept that information to herself.Shinji had been invited to go along, since Kero refused to have to sit through even one song.

She smiled at the thought of poor Kero covering his ears because of the high notes.She wanted to go, just to be with Makoto, but Shinji was invited instead, so she let it be.She could find something else to do, if she wanted, but right now, she couldn't think of anything!

She sighed in frustration and through yet another piece of paper into the trash.Why should she even bother?Akiko sighed and laid back in her bed.Maybe taking a nap was a good idea.She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Nakuru sat in a big chair at her home, chatting on the phone.Yukito was seeing Shinji out."You be good, and…" He leaned in."Try not to fall asleep.Their music an get quite…tiring after a while."

Shinji smiled and nodded."I'll do my best.As long as I'm with Meeko, I could be in Abbadon's abyss and still be happy."

Yukito laughed and nodded."Don't say such things.They might just become true."

Shinji nodded."I'll see you guys later."With that, he ran out and over towards Meeko's house.

Nakuru waved out of the window."Bai bai, sweetie!Be safe!And protect those crazy twins of yours!"

"I will!Promise!"Shinji threw over his shoulder as he ran down the street.

Nakuru turned back to her phone conversation."So, Kaho, you and Touya are going to the tournament too?"She asked.

Mizuki Kaho nodded."Touya entered one of the races, and I'm hosting the special occasion."The substitute teacher explained.

"Isn't that a surprise!?My dear Yukito also entered one of the contests!Shall we go together?"

Kaho smiled."It'd be my pleasure.I'm sure Touya would love having Yukito there.It'd be like old times."

Nakuru beamed."Then I'll see you there later today?"

"Hai, ja ne."

"Ja."Nakuru hung up and turned to Yukito entering the room."We'll be joining Touya and Kaho at the races!Isn't that great!?"Nakuru hugged Yukito, who blushed despite himself.

"That's great.Won't mind going up against Touya.It'll be the first time in a long time."Yukito agreed.

Nakuru looked up at the ceiling and put her index finger to her chin."If Shinji is going to the opera with Meeko and Makoto, what will little Akiko be doing?"

Yukito paused."I guess she'll be at home.Sakura-san and Syaoran only had five tickets and Kero-chan refused to go."

"Well, I don't blame them.Who wants to hear an opera, when we can just use the Song card to hear some real music."Nakuru replied."But, I refused to have anyone at home on such a pretty day!She must come with us."

Yukito shrugged."Fine with me.You give her the call and ask Tomoyo."

Nakuru was already ahead of him and back on the phone."Hello Tomoyo…"

Yukito shook his head and looked out the window, shutting out his wife's constant chatter."I sense trouble.There are Clow Cards about."

Akiko awoke to the door opening, and her mother stepping quietly into her room."Akiko dear?"

"Ohayo, Okasan."She said, sitting up in bed.

Tomoyo came and sat down."Nakuru called and invited you to go with her and Yukito, Touya, and Mizuki sensei to some races being held at the high school.Touya and Yukito entered for old times."

Akiko smiled.Finally something to do!"Sure!I'd loved to!"

Tomoyo smiled."Okay, they'll be here in about ten minutes.I'll have the maids pack you a lunch to take with you."

Akiko hugged her mom."Hontou ni, arigatou gozaimas!"

Syaoran showed the usher their tickets and everyone filed in.Meeko hung onto Shinji's arm, and Sakura hung onto Syaoran's, while Makoto walked behind them.He wasn't too thrilled about going. He didn't like the opera, and he didn't like being away from Akiko.

Meeko took a side-glance at her brother._Daijobu, oniichan.You'll see her again, soon enough._

Makoto glared at his sister._Easy for you to say.You're hanging onto angel boy's arm._

__Syaoran sighed and mumbled under his breath."I can't believe I have to go and pay to see some fat lady sing."

Sakura heard it nonetheless and playfully knuckled his ribs, making him squirm."You did it because you are a wonderful husband and father."She gave him a peck n the cheek, and Syaoran blushed.

"You know I'd do anything for you."He said, smiling and walking into the massive theatre."Now, where are our seats?"While Sakura looked about for their assigned seats, Syaoran secretly grimaced.

Akiko sat down excitedly besides Nakuru in the bleachers, while Kaho made her way to the podium and Touya and Yukito made their way to the starting line.

"Oh, isn't this exciting, Akiko?"Nakuru asked, smiling broadly.Then she smirked mischievously."Wanna bet I could beat all those guys with my feet tied together?"

Akiko raised an eyebrow."No, I won't bet, cause I know you could.You just fly over them!"

That made both Nakuru and Akiko burst out in laughter.

Kaho cleared her throat and tapped on the microphone to get the crowd's attention."Welcome to our Tomoeda's 35th novice and beginners races!The funds spent today will be given to the city's orphanage!"

Everyone cheered and clapped, including Akiko and Nakuru. 

"The first race will be the 400 m dash!"She announced.She raced a gun and the race began.

Syaoran and Makoto sat back with their arms crossed in growing annoyance.Meeko and Sakura were leaning forward, hands over their hearts at the beauty behind the music.Shinji was just holding onto Meeko's other hand, smiling at her and paying more attention to her ethereal presence than listening to the music.

The woman sang and soon, smaller more petite women joined her from the back, adding to the harmony.

To Syaoran, it was adding to his headache."Why can't they just stop and…"

As if on command, the singing ceased.

Syaoran smirked."Well, that's a lot better."

Meeko gasped and pointed."Look!Look at where she was standing!"

Syaoran and the rest bent over to get a good look at the stage, and right where the lead singer was standing, was a small swirling mass of sand.And it was growing.

"The Sand card!"Syaoran shouted.

Meeko jumped to her feet when she heard the scream of one of the supporting singers, right before they disappeared underneath the swirling sandpit.Row after row began to disappear, along with its occupants.

Sakura thought quickly and took out her cards.

"No!Shinji shouted."You cannot interfere!"

"What?You want me to just stand here while innocent people get pulled under the sand?"Sakura glared at the silver haired boy.

"No, leave this to us."He said, Makoto and Meeko standing supportive behind him.

"Yeah, well whatever you plan, you have better do it fast cause here it comes!"Syaoran shouted, jumping out of the way of a flying stream of sand.

Meeko took to the air, Shinji carrying Makoto up with him as he revealed his wings.

All the occupants of the theatre were now underneath the sand and if Meeko and the others didn't hurry, they would suffocate real soon.

Sakura used her Fly and pulled Syaoran up with her."You really need to lay off those Mochi cakes!"She said."Power!"Her aura increased and she held her husband with ease.

"Then tell your stuffed animal to stop buying them with _my_ credit card!"Syaoran protested.

"You shouldn't have said the pin number out loud gaki!"Came a new voice.

"Huh?"Everyone turned to see Keroberus and Spinel Sun in their full forms, flying through the open door.

Kero flew over and Syaoran jumped on."How'd you guys know about the card?"He asked.

Kero glared at Syaoran."A little thing called magic."

Shinji plopped Makoto onto Spinel Sun."Whatever we plan, it had better be soon!Those people won't last much longer!"

Now the entire floor and all the levels of the theatre were swirling with Sand.

Meeko shot a worried glance at Shinji._How are we going to get out of this one?_

After a few races, Touya and Yukito were very close to the top.Only one more race to go and they would gain first and second place, depending who won the next race.

"I won't let you win too easily, old friend." Touya said.

"Who said I needed you to _let_ me win?I'll win on my own."Yukito replied, putting his hands down on the ground against the white starting line, and looking up with a determined expression.

Kaho raised the gun once more and shot off the beginning _BANG!_

Touya and Yukito took off, immediately leaving all the other runners a bit farther behind.Akiko and Nakuru jumped to their feet, clapping and screaming their encouragement to the two runners.

As Akiko clapped and whistled, flower petals fell in front of her face and landed on the floor.Looking up with a confused expression, Akiko saw that the entire field was being slowly covered with flower petals of different colors.

She glanced over at Nakuru, who was also frowning."I sense a Clow Card."She said."It has to be Flower."

"Flower?Is this all it does is create flowers and flower petals?That doesn't seem too bad."

Transforming into Ruby Moon, the guardian looked down at the cardcaptor."It isn't that bad, unless it gets to about ten feet, then it can get lethal."She pointed to the field and Akiko saw that already, the petals were building on top of each other, and covering the land fully in their brilliance.Small children were up to their waists in petals.

"Oh no!If this keeps up, they'll drown in flowers!"Akiko brought out her staff."I have to stop this!"

"But we don't know where it is."Ruby Moon said.Which was a lie.She knew where it was, but she wasn't permitted to say.This was up to the children.

Kaho joined them and looked to Akiko."Any ideas?"

Akiko bit her lip.She wasn't sure what to do.She just knew she had to find it and fast."Okay, first we split up.We each take a direction.Ruby Moon, you take North _and _West since you can fly.Mizuki sensei, will you take east?And I have south"

Both adults nodded, but Ruby Moon raised a hand."What shall I do about the people?I can't be seen in this form."

Akiko grimaced.She hadn't thought about that.Just then, an idea came to her.She took out one of her cards. "Dream!"She struck it with her staff and it released."Give everyone peaceful dreams, in their_ sleep_."

Dream nodded and folded its hands in front of it, then rose into the air, spinning and releasing small magic sparkles of blue over the bystanders.Soon, everyone _without_ magic was asleep."Okay, people we got a card to capture."

Shinji blinked.That was a good question.What _were_ they going to do to capture Sand?He was about to answer, when Sand attacked and a stream of Sand came flying at him and Meeko.They flew off in opposite directions, barely avoiding the attacks.

Sakura gritted her teeth.How could she help?

Syaoran flew besides her, holding onto Keroberus with one hand and holding onto his sword in the other."We can advise them, right?"His wife nodded."Then lets try telling them what cards to use?Would that work?"

Keroberus shook his head. "You can hint to it, but telling them is just as bad as doing it for them."

Sakura tried to think hard.They had to seal Sand with what cards they had.But…who had what cards?She wasn't sure."

"We caught it with Water and Freeze, right?"Syaoran asked.

That's it!Sakura pulled back with her wings and dove forward."I'll distract it!You guys figure out a way to _stop_ it!"She shouted to her children.

"Sakura!"Syaoran shouted, diving down with Keroberus, to figure out what the heck his wife was thinking!Had she gone crazy or something!?

Sakura dodged most of the attacks, but one caught her from behind, and she fell into the sand, threatening to go under.

"Sakura!!"Both Syaoran and Keroberus shouted.They went down to try and help her, but ended up getting hit by _more_ falling sand, and landed in besides her.

"What were you thinking!?"Syaoran shouted.

Sakura coughed and tried to get one good breathe of fresh air."I…want them to think hard.They have to get us out now, maybe that'll help."

"Yeah it'll help getting us killed!"Syaoran said, holding onto Sakura, keeping her above Sand as much as he could.

Meeko fought back her tears."We have to do something!"She shouted to her comrades."Okasan!!"

Sakura looked up."You can do this!I know you can!You have to _freeze_ this motion!Get us out!"

Shinji looked through his cards.Nothing he had would help in freezing the motion.The best card with that was…

That's it!

No…that was a water element.Wait…didn't Meeko…

_Hai!_He thought._Yosha!_ (All right!)

"Meeko!Use Watery!"Shinji shouted.

Meeko looked over in shock."Nani?You nuts!?You want to drown them more?"

"Just do it! Quickly!"

Meeko took out her card."Watery!"Watery was released and swirled around, mixing with Sand and making a muddy mess.

Sakura and Syaoran stopped struggling, and looked up."Get us out!"They shouted.

"My fur!!"Keroberus whined.

"Now what?"Makoto growled at Shinji, hating to do this to their parents.

"Use Freeze!"Shinji commanded.

Makoto glared a moment longer, then caught on."I get it!"He threw his card forward, and jumped off of Spinel Sun."Freeze!"

Beginning at the edges, Sand froze along with Watery and Sand was frozen, stuck to the bottom of the theatre.

Shinji whirled his staff."Return to thy true form, Clow Card!"Sand swirled and slowly flew to Shinji, and turned back into a card.

Sakura and Syaoran got up, finally free and clean from Sand's messy personality.Kero licked his leg and was satisfied when none of his fur stuck together.

"Good work, you guys!"Sakura said with a smile.

Meeko ran to her mother."Daijobu Okasan?"

"Hai, daijobu desu ka."She responded.

"One less card to worry about."Kero commented, taking his spot atop his mistress' shoulders.

"And one more worry in here."Suppi added, also back in his…smaller form.

They looked around and saw all the people, laying limp in their seats, clean and finally awaking from their adventure.

"We had better get out of here."Sakura suggested.

"Best idea I've heard all day."Syaoran said, followed by Makoto, as they raced out of the theatre.

Akiko ran and noticed that she was running against the flow of flowers._Must be going the right way._She assumed.

And she was right.Around the corner and behind the field, stood Flower, spinning and created more and more flowers and petals.

Akiko held her staff in both hands."Flower!" 

Flower stopped swirling and turned to face the Cardcaptor.She was a beautiful card, with long, curly pigtails hanging down on the sides.It cocked its head with a smile at Akiko's approached.

"You've made a nice mess here, Flower."Akiko admonished.

Flower showed genuine remorse and bowed its head in apology, since it couldn't speak.Akiko sighed."Get back and I'll seal you."

Flower nodded and reached behind her, slowly bringing out a beautiful peony.Akiko blinked, but when Flower handed it to her and pointed to Akiko's heart, Akiko blushed."Hai, I'll give it to him."

Flower smiled and stepped back, closing its eyes as Akiko brought up her staff."Return to thy true form, Clow Card!"Akiko sealed Flower and turned to see Ruby Moon and Kaho standing there, smiling."You guys knew all along, didn't you?"

Ruby Moon turned back into Nakuru and winked."Couldn't give it away could we?"

Akiko nodded with a smile. "I guess not.Thanks anyway."

"Come on."Kaho said."We have a race to watch."

Akiko nodded and held the Peony close to her heart._Arigatou._ She silently thanked the card, and ran off to rejoin her friends.

"And to think I thought we left you behind to do nothing."Makoto joked.

Akiko shrugged."It wasn't too hard, but I did miss you."

"Not as much as I missed you."Makoto said, then blushed at his own words.

Akiko giggled and brought out her present."Here.Flower made it for you."

Makoto took it and smiled."Arigatou."He leaned in and gave Akiko a kiss on the cheek.

Akiko blushed and beamed, leaning on Makoto's shoulder, just watching the sunset form atop Makoto's roof.

Downstairs, Syaoran and Sakura sat on the porch, watching the small couple.

"A peony.She has good tastes."Syaoran commented.

Sakura turned to him. "Did I when I gave you your first flower?"

Syaoran mock frowned."Who said it was my first?"Sakura tickled him, until he confessed."Okay! Okay!It was my first flower!"

"And do you remember what you did to thank me?"

Syaoran grimaced."Unfortunately."

_Sakura walked home after school.It was late since she stayed for cheerleading practice.Tomoyo had to stay even longer to practice for her recital the next day.Sakura hummed to herself, and didn't notice the boy hanging upside down in front of her until it was too late._

_"Hoe!!"She shouted, falling backwards.When she saw amber eyes look back at her, she blinked. "Syaoran-kun?What are you doing hanging upside down from that tree?"_

_Syaoran flipped and landed in front of her, blushing like crazy."I…w-wanted t-to give this t-to you, in exchange f-for w-what you…f-for w-what you…" He paused, and finally just blurted it out."FOR WHAT YOU GAVE ME!!"_

_He thrust the flower at her and ran off before she could question his actions.In her hand was an undamaged Sakura blossom._

_"For what I gave him?"Sakura smiled, remembering the peony she had given to him earlier that week. "Arigatou, Syaoran-kun.Hontou ni, arigatou."With a smile still on her face, she walked the rest of the way home._

_From atop that same tree, Syaoran sat, watching her disappear into the distance."Aishiteru, Sakura.I'll tell you someday."_

_ _

__Syaoran of today grimace, "Okay, not my best or most romantic moves…" He wrapped an arm around Sakura and smiled. "But I told you didn't I?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes you did.Prom night."

"And I'll say it again.Aishiteru, my most precious Sakura."

"Aishiteru, my koibito. (Sweetheart)" They leaned in to kiss, a sweet gentle kiss. "Oh, I got four more tickets to replace the show we missed due to the Sand card."

Syaoran literally blanched. "No!!!"

A/N: *giggles* I got this idea right after finishing my other one.I don't know why, but it was very fun to write and I finished it in about 3 hours!Did you like it?I hope you did!I hope to finish this series by 40 chapters, but I might over do it a little.Here's hoping.Ja!


	35. Omedetto Tanjobi!!

Second Generation Cardcaptors 35

Second Generation Cardcaptors 35

Akiko: We all had a long day last time.I was invited to go to a high school track meet with Mizuki-sensei, Nakuru-san, Touya-san, and Yukito-san!Meeko, Makoto and Shinji went with Auntie Sakura and Syaoran to go listen to an opera.During the performances in both areas, Clow Cards attack!Mizuki-sensei and Nakuru aided me in capturing the Flower, while Sakura and Syaoran helped the others capture the very hard card: Sand.It swallowed up the singer whole! (Syaoran: Much to my delight.Sakura: *hits Syaoran upside the head* Mou Syaoran!You can be so mean sometimes!Besides…I got us two more tickets to next week's performance.Syaoran: NOOOO!!!!)Akiko:Hee hee, well that's all, now we come to a very intriguing day: Meeko and Makoto's birthdays!

Meeko and Makoto, along with their parents and the little Kero, sat around the family table to discuss their next moves…

"We have to have lots of cake."Kero said, floating above Syaoran's hand, who was writing down all the information.

"I know, I know!You said that three times already!"Syaoran growled at the guardian beast.

"Then write it down already!"Kero shouted back.

"Kero-chan!"Sakura admonished.Kero shied back a bit and floated back over to his mistress' shoulder.

"As much as we get, there would never be enough to fill your stomach."Makoto muttered under his breath.

"Why you…!"Kero challenged, raising a small fist.

Meeko sighed."When should we have it?"Their birthday was September 4th, but they had school that day so…

"How about the fifth?That's a Wednesday, ne?"Sakura suggested, looking at her small calendar."And it's a half day too."

"Alright!"Makoto and Meeko both happily agreed.

"C-A-K-E, gaki."Kero said, once again above Syaoran's head.

"I know how to spell it!"

Akiko laughed."So, what do you guys want for your birthdays?"She asked her best friends.

"Oh, you don't have to get us anything."Meeko insisted.

"Yes they do!"Makoto said."Anything big and expensive…oww!"He exclaimed as Meeko elbowed him in the ribs."Alright, alright, I was kidding!"

Now it was Shinji's turn to laugh.Although he laughed on the outside, he was a nervous wreck on the inside.It took all his powers to hide that fact from Meeko, through their small link.

Makoto frowned at Shinji's slightly odd behavior."Hey, why don't we stop in here and get some ideas?"He pointed to a shop that they were presently passing on their way home.

Meeko shrugged with a nod and walked with Akiko inside the shop.

Makoto turned to Shinji."What's up with you?You look like you just spent an hour fighting a Clow Card."

Shinji sighed and stopped his relaxed behavior."I want to get Meeko something important for her birthday, but by Kami-sama I don't know what."

"Hey, what about me!It's my birthday too!"Meeko put his fists on his hips.

Shinji waved away the concern."I already got your present."

"Oh."Makoto was taken aback, but then he smiled, wrapping his arm around Shinji's shoulders."I'll help you out."

The young angel boy looked up in surprise."You will?"

"Who knows her better than me?"Makoto smirked.

"You guys going to stay out here all day or what?"Akiko giggled as both boys noticed they were still in the front door.

Shinji blushed and quickly rushed into the store."Gomen!"

"I'm going to walk Shinji home!"Makoto shouted.

"What protection could you give him?"Meeko teased.

Shinji laughed."Worried for me, Meeko?"

Meeko blushed bright red and turned away."A-anou…e-eeto…"

Makoto smirked and walked away with Shinji, quickly getting a small, harmless, but not totally painless arrow in the behind.He yelped in pain and jumped into the air.

_That would be for payback…_His sister's voice came to him in his mind.

__Meeko closed the door, and Makoto growled.If only she knew _why_ he was walking Shinji home, maybe she wouldn't be so hard on her twin.He sighed."Still haven't figured out what to get her?"

Shinji shook his head in dismay."I was thinking about a necklace, but it just seems too…"

"Ordinary?"

"Hai, and your sister is _anything_ but ordinary."

"You're telling me."Makoto sighed."Let's go to Akiko's place and talk this over with her."

Shinji raised an eyebrow."Won't she tell Meeko?"

Makoto shook his head."She's Meeko's friend, but knowing her secret would ruin the surprise, Abbadon himself couldn't pry it out of her."

"Okay.Where should we go to get it?"

"Angel boy still nervous?"Makoto teased.

Shinji mock glared at him and crossed his arms."You gonna help me or not?"

"Yeah, yeah, just hold your magical horses.We'll talk to Akiko about that.Come on."

"Kawaii!!"Akiko exclaimed, stars appearing in her eyes."A gallant hero buys a present for his true love just to make her happy.Hanyaan!"

Makoto sweat dropped."A-Akiko, it isn't that big of a deal…"

Akiko bonked him on the head."Yes it is, otherwise you wouldn't have come with Shinji-kun asking for help, now would you?"She replied sweetly.

"Y-you w-won't tell her, r-right?" Shinji asked, unsurely.

Akiko smiled."Of course not.When she sees what you get her, I want to get her shocked expression on videotape!My Meeko-chan is so photogenic!"She was seeing stars again.

Makoto leaned over to Shinji."It's times like this you _know_ she's Tomoyo's kid."

Shinji agreed whole-heartedly."So, what exactly are we going to get her?"

Akiko came out of her reverie."Oh, well, remember that shop we looked around in earlier?"

"Um…yeah, but I wasn't really paying attention."Shinji said, sweat dropping.

Akiko rolled her eyes."Well it's a good thing you have me then, ne?"_Men…couldn't pay attention if their life depended on it._"Let's do some shopping!"

Makoto and Shinji exchanged looks._What have we gotten ourselves into?_

_ _

__Akiko dragged the boys back to the store they had been in before and brought them to a glass case, pointing to something."I knew it'd still be here!"

Shinji looked and smiled.Inside the glass case was a beautiful porcelain music box.Atop it were two angel children, sharing a hug, dressed in pretty white robes.The bottom of it opened out to reveal a jewelry box.

"It's perfect!"Shinji exclaimed, but then he saw the price and was crestfallen."I don't have enough." 

Makoto smirked."Don't worry.I'll pitch in the rest of my allowance.Like you said, it's perfect.You're not just going to let a gift like that out of your sight now after everything we've been though to find it, are you?"

"Iie."Shinji smiled."Arigatou."

"Hey we're friends, ne?"Makoto said.

"Hai."

"It's settled then."Akiko said, turning to the store's clerk."May we purchase this, please?"

The clerk nodded and began to head over towards the trio.Just then, Shinji felt a Clow Card and it was very nearby."Clow Ka-do no kehai." (I sense a Clow Card)

Makoto and Akiko nodded and closed their eyes, spreading out their senses until they too found it and tried to pinpoint it.

"What would you like again, miss?"The clerk said from behind the counter.

Akiko turned around and gasped."It's gone!"

Shinji frowned._This is the work of the Move Card.Definitely._

__Without a second though, Shinji ran out of the store and outside.Makoto soon followed and Akiko stumbled for an explanation."Gomen, never mind.We don't have enough for it anyway."She didn't wait for him to ask more questions.Instead, she ran out and followed her friends down the street.

The clerk blinked in confusion as the children ran out of his store, then looked down at the glass case and noticed something was missing…

Back at home, Meeko also sensed the Clow Card and looked out the window."Makoto should have been back by now.Where is he?"Just then the presence got stronger."I'll have to fight it on my own."She called out her wand and the Fly card and took out of the window.

Shinji dove for the music box which was on the floor in front of him, but it disappeared before he could do catch it.

Makoto was climbing a tree and reached out, but the music box once again grew small wings and disappeared from sight.

Akiko tried to sneak up on it when it was behind a bush, but it sensed her and once again vanished.

"This card is _really_ getting on my nerves!How are we supposed to catch it anyway!?"

Shinji tried to think, but was coming up blank."We have to sense it before it lands, so to speak."

"You think we can do that?"Makoto asked, skeptically.

"Well I'm willing to give it a try!"Akiko said, heroically.She closed her eyes and went through the whole surrounding area.They had been chasing Move for the last half hour and still couldn't catch it!They had chased it all the way back to the surrounding forest near Penguin Park.

Akiko concentrated hard, using what she knew of her powers and focused on the color of the card.Move swirled around the area, appearing for brief glimpses here and there.Finally she sensed it was coming right towards her.

"Lock!"She called out suddenly.Lock wrapped a shield around Move and locked it in place, making it unable to move or disappear again."Yatta!"She exclaimed happily and reached forward to get the music box from the air in front of her.

That's when Makoto's danger sense went off."Iie!Matte!"

But it was too late.When Akiko wrapped her hands around the treasure, a blue haze surrounded her and she disappeared with a stifled scream.

"Akiko!!"Makoto shouted."What's going on!?"He asked Shinji.

He didn't get a reply, and when he turned around, he saw Shinji make another dive for the music box.When Shinji touched it, he too disappeared.The music box floated up and the Move…well, moved again.

"Shinji?!"Makoto wondered._Where did they go?_

"Shinji!!"

Makoto turned around and was shocked to see Meeko coming down using Fly.

"What are you doing here!?"Makoto asked.

Meeko ran to where Shinji had disappeared."What happened?Where'd he go!?"

"I don't know, but I've had far too much of this."He called forth his sword."Upon this key, I place a spell.Show me your powers, within the sword do dwell!"He closed his eyes and tried to do the same thing Akiko did and _sense_ for the card before it appeared.

Meeko did the same thing and soon she sensed it coming right between her and her brother.At the same time, both twins called out: "Return to the shape you were meant to be!Clow Card!"Meeko slammed down her wand and Makoto pulled down his sword.

Expecting to have one card captured, two cards captured.One at the end of Meeko's wand and the other at the end of Makoto's sword.Both children gasped and held out their hands as the cards floated to them.

"The Move."Makoto said.

"And the Erase!"Meeko exclaimed.

As Meeko said this, the sleeping forms of Shinji and Akiko appeared before them.Meeko ran to Shinji, who began to wake up and Makoto ran to Akiko.

Shinji looked up and was shocked to see Meeko kneeling besides him."M-Meeko!What are you doing here?"

"Capturing a card, what else?_Obviously_ you guys were having trouble."She said sternly, yet with a smile.

Makoto saw the music box also appear behind Akiko, just as she was waking up.He gasped and quickly scooped up the box, putting it inside Akiko's jacket.Her eyes went wide and she nodded in understanding.

Makoto helped her up and Akiko waved her hand."W-well, I gotta get going.Mom is making dinner tonight instead of the servants and don't want to miss out."

Meeko frowned."What were you guys chasing anyway?"

Shinji laughed nervously."Oh, just a library book that someone had left behind.Probably why the Clow Cards choose it, because it was out in the open and no one was coming back for it."

Makoto gawked.How did Shinji learn to lie so well?And could he give Makoto lessons?

Meeko bought it and hugged Shinji."I'm glad you're okay!"

Shinji hugged her back and replied softly in her ear."Nothing Clow Reed or Abbadon could keep me away from you."

Meeko blushed and Makoto hesitantly split them up."We gotta get home now, Meeko.Mom and Dad aren't done planning for Wednesday yet."

"Okay.Ja ne Shinji!Ja ne Akiko!"She waved and walked away with Makoto.

"Bai bai!" (bye bye) Akiko replied, then sighed in relief."That was close."She handed the music box back to Shinji.

"Yeah, thanks.I owe you big time."He said, taking the undamaged present.

"No kidding." She replied dryly.

Wednesday came quickly for the magical twins and before they knew it, they were bent over a large cake (much to Kero's delight) with eleven candles on it.Family and friends gathered around and sang happy birthday.Kero just floated above his mistress, waiting for the cutting of the cake.

"I wish for presents!"Makoto shouted."Oww!"Meeko smacked him upside the head.

"You say it out loud and it won't come true, baka."She said, as-a-matter-of-fact."I already got what I want."She added softly, eyeing Shinji, who blushed.

Akiko giggled and kept the camera focused on Meeko."Blow out the candles!"

Meeko and Makoto smiled and closed their eyes, extinguishing all the flame with one breath.

"Yatta!"Kero exclaimed, diving head first into the cake.Or at least he would have, if Sakura hadn't caught his tail.

"Kero-chan.Chotto matte." (Please wait) She eyed him.

Kero gave a hurt puppy (teddy bear?) expression, then sighed and flew off to the side.

"While I cut the cake…" Syaoran said."Start opening your presents."

"Yatta!"Makoto said, diving into his presents from Shinji and Akiko.

Meeko sweat dropped and looked at her presents."Which should I open first?" She said, looking over at Akiko and Shinji.

"Open Shinji-kun's first, Meeko-chan!"Akiko said, from behind the camera.

Shinji suddenly got tense as Meeko agreed with a smile and bent over to pick up the elaborately wrapped package.She carefully undid the red ribbon, and slowly removed the tape from the wrapping paper.

"You going to take this long with all your presents?"Makoto said, sweat dropping as he watched her.

Meeko glared at him."It's my birthday too and I'll take as long as I want!"She finally finished opening the package, and gasped at the present lying inside.The hand crafted music box was shining its brightest and held an elegant glow to it.

"Shinji…it's beautiful."When she lifted the lid, underneath the two angels, a song began to play.It was soft and beautiful and reminded Meeko of a small spring brook, flowing towards the quiet ocean.She closed her eyes and listened to the song and let it play out, everyone staying quiet, also listening to the melody.

When it was finished, Meeko opened her eyes and noticed there was another drawer beneath the one she had just opened.Pulling it out, she saw a soft downy white feather inside.It was one of Shinji's feathers.She gasped at its beauty and when she wrapped her fingers around it, she was overrun with a sense of steady streaming love, strong and persistent.She automatically knew it was what Shinji had been feeling when he pulled this single feather free.

Akiko smiled and zoomed in on Meeko's shocked expression._I didn't mention that.It was smart of Shinji-kun.I would never have thought of it._

__Meeko smiled and held the feather close to her heart, letting the lovely sensations fill her body and soul.Then, out of nowhere, she leapt forward and pulled Shinji into a hug."Domo arigatou gozaimasu!"

Shinji hugged back."Omedetto tanjobi."(Happy Birthday) He whispered into his ear.

Akiko sighed happily, then shrieked as Kero popped into the camera's view."Time for cake!Wai wai!" 

Sakura sweat dropped."H-hoe…"


	36. Uncertain Future

Second Generation Cardcaptors 36

Second Generation Cardcaptors 36

Meeko: Last time, Shinji-kun was going crazy trying to find the perfect gift for me, and ask for my brother's and Akiko's help!Shinji: We found the prefect gift all right, but it was being controlled by the Move card and getting our hands on it proved harder than first thought.Meeko: Then I sensed it and came to help!It turns out it was both the Move _and_ the Erase!By the way, you never did say how you paid for the elaborate music box.Shinji: Well, since the Move left the store, I didn't really _steal _it…Meeko: *glares at him*Shinji: …but on good conscience, I left the exact amount the gift cost on the door step and made sure the fellow found it.Meeko: *eyes light up* Aww!!That's my baby! *hugs Shinji*Akiko: *giggles off to the side, recording Shinji's blush*Makoto: *sweat drops*

"Congratulations mother!"Akiko squealed, giving her mother a big hug.

Hiragizowa Tomoyo had been invited to sing at a national play as the opening number.It was being held in Tokyo, which was a quite a ways away from their hometown.So, Tomoyo was offered a hotel stay for a couple weeks, in order to also attend a few conventions and things either related to the play, or her mother's toy company, which she was now in charge of as well.

"I'll miss both of you so much!"Tomoyo replied, hugging her daughter and giving her husband a kiss.

Eriol smiled."You won't need to miss us cause you won't be going anywhere if you don't leave now."He warned.

Tomoyo smiled sheepishly, and turned towards the limo parked outside the mansion."Hai, hai.Don't worry!I'll call and be back as soon as I can!"

"Ja ne!"Akiko waved.

"Stay safe."Eriol said.

Tomoyo paused for a moment and turned around to smile."Always."Then she got in the limo and left.

_Why was it so dark?Where was the sun?And the people?Where was everyone?_

It was hazy too.The air seemed so think and full of moisture.It never got like this in Tomoeda.Then, atop the large clock tower stood a shadowed figure.It held a large yellow staff with a sun on the end.She recognized that staff!It was her fathers!

_"Father!?"_

Just then, Akiko woke up.What was that all about?Was it another prophetic dream?She quickly got out of bed and checked through her cards.The Dream was still safely in its card form.So why did she have such a strange dream?And what did it mean?

Shinji and the rest of the gang were in school, listening to Mizuki Sensei teach math.Meeko wasn't really paying attention.She was more focused on capturing the last of the Clow Cards and going after Abbadon and getting Hitori back.Would her and her friends have what it takes to defeat the holding of the keys to the abyss?She hoped so.Then things could go back to normal.And she could put her full attention to Shinji.

Speaking of Shinji, she looked over at him ands aw he was focused outside, instead of on the lesson.True, his senses were more powerful, but Meeko and the others should have sensed something too.

_Does he sense something we don't?_Makoto's question came to her mind.

_I'm not sure._Meeko stretched out her senses, but couldn't feel anything._I don't sense anything._

_Me neither, but keep them open in case something comes up._

_Right._

Shinji kept his gaze on the cherry blossom tree outside.The one he had sat under with Meeko so many times and eaten lunch together.He would…miss those days.

With most of the cards captured, Yue and Ruby Moon would return to their other home, back in China.Shinji would have to go with them, and that meant leaving Meeko behind for a second painful time in his life.

He had grown to love Meeko so much, but in this world, that didn't seem to stand for much anymore.What was he going to do?He didn't want to go back to China. If anything, he wasn't to live here, in Tomoeda, for as long as Meeko needed him.He was her guardian after all.He had past Yue and Ruby Moon's test and everything to prove himself.Even if he had to pass a hundred tests like that, he would do it all for her.

Sighing again, he turned his attention back to the math lesson.Everyone was told to study and practice their homework math problems on pages 46-48. 

Mizuki Sensei walked up to Shinji and bent down to his level."It looks like it might rain later today…" Then she immediately stood up and moved back to the front of the class.

"Huh?"Shinji looked outside.Where once the sun had shined, it was now cloudy with strange black, maroon, and purple clouds._A Clow Card!_

"So you did sense a Clow Card!"Makoto accused.

"Not really… Mizuki Sensei was actually the one who pointed it out.I was…thinking about _other_ things."Shinji replied, taking a sideways glance at Meeko.

She was dressed with Akiko's latest creation: an interesting collage of clouds, suns, and moons, decorated a sturdy rubber dress with high rubber boots.Makoto's was similar, but with pants.Shinji was wearing his usual white and gray robes.

"So, what card do you think it is?"Meeko said, taking out her staff and getting into position besides Shinji.

"Well, but the design of colors in the clouds and the form, I'd say we're just dealing with the Cloud Card."He deduced.

"Duh, it took you that long to figure it out?"Makoto replied, still a little mad that Shinji had hidden the secret from him.

"I only said that because it might also be Storm, which we have yet to capture, and is much more difficult."

"Oh."Now Makoto felt guilty.

Akiko finished setting up the camera on a tripod off to the side of the impending battlefield."There, that should capture all of your dashing moves."

"Including yours."Makoto said, smoothly, causing Akiko to blush.

Suddenly, Cloud got a lot more aggressive and began to make a bigger and bigger swirl.It soon took up the whole sky.Good thing it was nighttime.

"We have to stop it from forming!"Shinji declared, calling out his wings and taking to the sky."Sword!"His staff transformed into a sword and Shinji swung down across Cloud's large mass.

"Fly!"Meeko wanted to help, and took to the sky after Shinji.She dodged Cloud's funnels of powerful clouds and winds, but the last one came pretty close and threw her off to the side."Ahh!"

"Meeko!"Shinji shouted.

"Fuuka!Sho rai!"Makoto shouted, and released wind to cushion Meeko's fall.

Meeko landed safely and Shinji landed besides Makoto."Where did you get that!?"

Makoto grinned nervously."I uh…got it from dad's collection?"

"He's so going to flip you baka!"Meeko exclaimed.

"Hey, I just saved your neck!You should at least say thank you!"Makoto protested.

Meeko pouted."Do itashimashite, demo that doesn't mean you won't get in trouble when we get home!"

"Ahh!!"Akiko screamed.

"Nani!?"Makoto looked towards Akiko and saw she was covered in…bubbles?Makoto couldn't help it and started laughing."Did you think it was the best time for a bath?"

"I didn't do it and somebody get me out of here!"She gurgled.

"We got bigger problems!"Meeko shouted, pouting at the sky.Cloud had started to reform and aimed another funnel at the foursome.

"Makoto!Stay here with Akiko.Meeko and I will get Cloud."Shinji said, and flew into the air without hearing a response.

"Chotto matte!"Meeko said, flying after him."How are we supposed to slow it down and shrink it to make it easy enough to capture?"

Shinji gritted his teeth."Clouds are made up mostly of water, but we don't have enough fire to counter that."

"What about Makoto's Fiery?"Meeko asked.

Shinji shook his head."It's too dangerous."Cloud attacked again and Meeko and Shinji went into defense mode.

Meanwhile, down on the ground."Akiko, can you breathe?"

Akiko coughed a couple of times."Not really well!"

"Don't worry!I'll get you out of there!"Makoto said, though didn't have a clue as to release Akiko from Bubbles' hold.

"Bubbles has water in it, ne?"Akiko mumbled from underneath the pink mass of bubbles.

"H-hai, doushite?"(Yes, why?)Then it hit him and he brought out his card."Freeze!"Freeze froze Bubbles and Akiko together, then Makoto brought up his sword."Return to the shape you were meant to be!Clow Card!"

Bubbles pulled away from Akiko in a series of cracks and formed into a card, rewarded to Makoto.When Akiko was released from Freeze's powers, Makoto handed her the card."Here, you went through more with it _and_ gave me the idea to use Freeze.It belongs to you."

"Don't know what use I'll have for it, demo, arigatou."She bowed her thanks.

Then Makoto wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm and turned his eyes to the sky."Looks like we beat them."

Meeko and Shinji were still fighting Cloud, which was a lot harder for them than it had been for Sakura, Syaoran and Meilin, when they had gone after it."We need to break it up in order to capture it!"Shinji called out.

Meeko nodded and pulled out a card."Arrow!"

"Shot!"Shinji hit the card with his staff and both newly released cards attacked Cloud and broke it into several small clouds.

It began to reform and Makoto got an idea.He took out his own card."Fiery!"

"Look out!"Shinji pulled Meeko off to the side to avoid Fiery flaming its way through to Cloud, then wrapping around it, turning it into the smaller visible Cloud Card.

"Return to the form you were meant to be!Clow Card!"Shinji called out and trapped Cloud into its card form.It went to him and Shinji and Meeko flew down to thank Makoto.

"That's two less cards to worry about.Thanks."Shinji shook Makoto's hand.

"Well, you know.I don't do that for everybody, so you own me."He said, then smirked, causing all to laugh.

Shinji laughed too, then looked down at the Cloud Card seated nicely in his hand._Two less cards to capture and two more reasons why I can't stay…_

Meeko looked over at Shinji._What's bothering him?_

_He can't stand to be helped by us little people._Makoto replied.

_Oh shut up!_

Hitori sat quietly in her cell, as she had done for the past few weeks.It had been a while since she had sent that note to the cardcaptors, telling them to capture all the cards.She hadn't told them why, but she knew.They would need to capture all the cards, because only then would Earthy, the final Clow Card, reveal itself.And without Earthy, the cardcaptors wouldn't have all four elements, which were needed to seal Abbadon.

Hitori would help in what ways she could, but only once she could get her mother up and out of here.She couldn't leave her here, because Abbadon would certainly kill her.Hitori let out an exasperating sigh.How was she going to get out of this?

Just then, Madoushi, Hitori's creator, finally awoke from her induced sleep.She awakened with a groan of pain and whimpered as her joints refused to work properly.

"M-mother?"Hitori said carefully, trying to look around to the cell besides her, but knew she couldn't."Are you alright?"

"H-hitori?W-where are we?The last thing I remember is reading through that spell book and then…nothing.What has happened?"

"I'm afraid the spell you read all that time ago, released Abbadon from the abyss in hell.He possessed your mind and reawakened himself in his true form.We've been trapped here for a couple months."

"And the cardcaptors?Have they discovered their destiny?"Madoushi asked.

"They have and have almost captured all the Clow Cards."Hitori told her."They know of us and will help us send Abbadon back to his home in hell."

Madoushi laughed shortly."They probably hate me by now.Though I fear I don't remember what happened in between."

"Don't think like that.I told them it wasn't your fault, and you weren't responsible for what you did while under Abbadon's control.They are kind hearted humans and will surely help us."

"Let us hope.What of you dear?Did you help them capture any Clow Cards?"

"Sadly, no.I was taken over by Abbadon as well and when Clow's descendants captured The Create Card, I stole it from them.I still have it, but will not attempt to use it for escape until you are ready."

"Hai, a good plan.I will begin healing myself and be ready for the final battle.How many cards do they have to capture?"

"From my calculations…seven."She replied.

"Ahh, so the time grows near."

"Yes it does."Came a new voice.

Hitori and Madoushi both gasped and turned towards the door to see Fushuku standing there."The master has made new plans for your cardcaptor 'friends'."

"You leave them alone!"Hitori said angrily.

"Think again!"Fushuku blasted Hitori to the back of her cell with a lightning blast.

"Hitori!"Madoushi shouted.

Hitori groaned and sat up shaking."Don't mind that old fart.I've been through worse."She said through gritted teeth.

"Like I was saying, the master will combine two Clow Cards to loose those cardcapting brats for good.They'll never get out of this one!"He laughed.

Hitori growled, then gasped as she felt the power from Abbadon's lair grow.Then it exited the cave, right towards where Makoto and the others were."No!Makoto!Look out!!!"

As if hearing her plea, Makoto jumped up and looked around."H-hitori?"

Meeko frowned."Did you hear something?"There was a quiet rumbling and suddenly, vines and large trees surrounded the four cardcaptors, and a dense fog clouded their vision.

"Hey?Where's the way out!?"Akiko shouted, no longer seeing the exit…or her friends!

A/N: A nasty cliffhanger, huh?Oops. ^_^Can you guess what cards will be next?Well you'll have to wait and find out.Ja ne!


	37. Misdirections

Second Generation Cardcaptors 37

            Hitori: It's been a while since I've done a recap, huh?  Makoto: You've been in jail, that's why!  Meeko: Oniichan, be nice or I'll sign you up next to be captured!  Makoto: What?  You can't do that!?  Meeko: Wanna bet?  What character do you think is the author's favorite?  Makoto: Me of course!  Meeko: No me!  Hitori: Can I get on with the recap?  Meeko/Makoto: No!  Digidynasty: Actually, you're both wrong.  Meeko/Makoto: Eh!?  Digidynasty: *smiles* It's Syaoran-kun.  Sakura: Hey!  He's married to me!  Digidynasty: Only because I said so!  Sakura: What!?  Get back here!  Digidynasty: Hoe!!!  Hitori: *sweat drops*  No wonder why I stopped trying to do these recaps.

            Akiko gasped and looked around her.  The fog was thick, but even still, she should have been able to see Meeko, Makoto, or Shinji near her.  They had been right there a second ago!  But now…she couldn't see anyone!  All she could see were tall trees surrounding her, covering the sky from view like a canopy would in a tropical rain forest.  There was also an odd fog around her, really dense.  Not like in her dream, that one was different.  She couldn't tell how, it just was.

            She already had her staff out, so cardcaptor that she was… she began to walk through the foliage and branches and began to search for her friends.

            Shinji gaped at the scene before him.  They had just finishing capturing Cloud and Bubbles, so where did these cards come from?  Wasn't two in one day enough?  Oh wait…they had captured three one day.  Just another day to beat that record, huh?

            Shinji stretched out his senses and decided to first reach out to Meeko.  He sensed her a little off to the left, and turned to walk in that direction.  He hadn't gone maybe ten meters when he saw her, walking towards _his_ direction.

            "Meeko!"  He called.

            Meeko turned to him and smiled, then raised her hand and attacked with a large white magic blast.  Shinji was so shocked he was hit right square in the chest and flew back into one of the many trees.

            He gritted his teeth against the pain and held his hand over his blood seeping wound.  "W-what are you d-doing, M-Meeko?"

            "Destroying you, like I should have done a long time ago!"  She dove forward, and pulled out…the Sword Card!

            Shinji had just enough time to dive out of the way, as Sword cut through the tree.  "I have the Sword Card, so what are you doing with it!?"  Then, it clicked.  "The clone!"

            In Abbadon's layer, Hitori was being forced once more to use the Create Card to make clones of Meeko and Makoto, to try and destroy the already lost cardcaptors.  She didn't want to, but Abbadon held Madoushi in a large force field off to the corner, and Madoushi was shocked with lightning repeatedly, whenever Hitori faltered in her mission.

            Hitori felt hot tears on the corners of her eyes as she watched one of her clones fight Shinji and the other fight Makoto.  Akiko wasn't far behind and aided Makoto in fighting his evil twin.  Meeko, the real one, was nearing Shinji was well.

            _Please, hurry Meeko!  Shinji's in trouble!_

Meeko ran through the woods, not really knowing where she was going, but knowing she had to hurry.  She would use fly, but would surely run into a tree at the speed her head and mind were telling her to go.  As she neared where she felt she needed to be, the sound of swords clashing was heard.

            She came into a large clearing, well large in this area's standards, and was shocked to see Shinji fighting…her?  The clone scored another hit on Shinji's arm and Shinji was forced to his knees, with only a split second to block another swing from 'Meeko'.

            It never made it though, because suddenly, from off to the side…

            "Arrow!"  Meeko aimed her one arrow at fired.  It split into several arrows, all widely flying towards the duo.  With no time to call upon Shield, Shinji felt up his hands to the awaiting pain…

            Meeko would never have that though, she used her own innate powers and put a shield around Shinji herself.  The red hued shield was sufficient enough to protect him from Arrow's barrage against the clone and Shinji was un-scaved from the attack.

            Fortunately, the same couldn't be said for the clone.  It was hit several times, its body impaled and stabbed so much that the body was pinned up against one of the back trees.

            Meeko ran up to Shinji.  "Are you all right!?"

            Shinji nodded, then wheezed in pain.  "It got a couple good ones on me."  He removed his hand from his chest, to revealed the large wound. 

            Meeko fought back her nausea, at seeing the boy she loved in so much pain, and quickly tore the bottom part of her costume, to temporarily wrap Shinji's wound.

            "Arigatou."  He said.  Then from behind Meeko, he saw a large sword raised up, reading to strike Meeko down where she sat.  "Meeko!  Look out!"

            "Wave!"  She called out suddenly.  A large wave of water came flowing from her hand, and blasted the clone back into a far tree.  "Why don't you just die already!?"  She shouted, holding her staff tight, and getting into a fighting position in front of Shinji.

            The clone smiled evilly.  "I am made of magic.  I do not die.  And I am never defeated!!"  It lunged forward and made ready to stab Meeko in the heart.

            "Meeko!  Catch!"  Shinji threw her something, and she _pulled_ it the rest of the way.

            It was the Sword Card.  She quickly activated it, and her staff transformed into Sword.  She automatically knew how to use it and blocked the clone's attack.  This was going to be tough…

            Makoto dodged, his clone's attacks, while Akiko attacked it from a different direction.

            "Power!  Fight!"  Akiko called, out, attacked the clone with all her strength.

            While it was distracted, Makoto quickly pulled out a card.  "Move!"  Makoto seemed to disappear, then appear right behind his clone.  "Fiery!"  He blasted a large Fire attack from his hand into his clone's back.  The clone was flying over Akiko's head and landed soundly on the ground, his back a chard cinder.  

            "Akiko!"

            "I'm fine.  That was smart."  She admitted, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

            "But not smart enough!"  The clone attacked once more, and quickly stabbed Akiko through the stomach with his sword.

            "NOOOOO!!!!"  Makoto screamed and Akiko went wide-eyed and collapsed into his arms.  "Akiko!  AKIKO!"

            'Makoto' smirked.  "That's what you get for thinking you could destroy me!"

            Makoto fought back his tears, but still they came.  "I lost you once, I will not lose you again!"  He through a card forward and struck it dead center with his sword.  "Return!"

            Everything around him got fuzzy and was consumed in a white light….

            Meeko was down on the ground as her clone raised the sword over her head…

            Sakura and Syaoran, along with Keroberus and Yue, were running towards where they all felt the center of magic gather…

            All of it ceased to exist and when the light faded away, the area was clear.  Suddenly, though, the four cardcaptors materialized.  

Meeko opened her eyes and looked around.  "Huh?  Where are we?"  She looked down and saw Shinji, sleeping at her feet.  "Shinji-kun!"

Shinji moaned and awoke, and miraculously, removed his hand from his chest and was shocked to see no wound was apparent.  

Makoto held Akiko close to his chest and continued to cry.

"Makoto."  A muffled voice said.  "Makoto-kun…open your eyes."

Makoto slowly did as told and looked down at Akiko…who was smiling and looking up at him.  

"Why the long face?" She whispered.

"I…I thought I lost you."  He looked down and saw no blood, nor wound on her body.

"How did…" He wondered.

            "It was the Return Card you used."  Yue said from behind them.

            All children gasped and looked up to see Sakura, Syaoran, Keroberus, and Yue standing there.  

            "You know, getting here twice is not what I call fun."  Syaoran said.

            Sakura smirked at the comment.  They had appeared back at the house and had to race back here for the second time!

            "Return?"  Shinji questioned.

            "Makoto used Return, and the card returned you to where you were before you got into trouble."  The winged guardian explained.

            Shinji fumbled through his pockets and found Cloud.  "So it returned us to the time before we got lost, but _after_ we captured Cloud and Bubbles?"

            Akiko held up the Bubble Card.  "Looks like it."  

Makoto gave her a hand up.  "So then, we have about ten seconds before we go through that _fun_ again!"  

Sakura and Syaoran frowned.  "What do you mean?"  The Clow Mistress questioned.

It wasn't long before her question was answered.

Abbadon once again sent the two Clow Cards after the Cardcaptors, but _this_ time, the parents and guardians were trapped as well.

"Wha-?"  Syaoran blinked a few times as his vision got blurry.  For some reason, they had all stayed together this time.

"How come we didn't split up?"  Meeko wondered.

"Shield…return!"  Sakura called, and her Sakura Card reverted into its card form and floated to her hand.  "Although these Clow Cards can surround us, they did not separate us, cause I used my card to protect us from it."  She explained.

Syaoran wrapped an arm around Sakura's waist, despite the semi-dire circumstances.  "You've gotten a lot smarted and quicker since _our_ cardcapting days."

Sakura blushed at the compliment.

"Can we reminisce later?"  Keroberus said.  

"I agree, we have a problem to get out of presently."  Yue said, calmly.

"And more trouble's coming!"  Makoto said, quickly blocking a sword attack from his clone.

"Fighting them once was hard enough!"  Meeko said, dodging her clone's attacks.  "How are we going to win this time!?"

"We'll defeat them for you!"  Syaoran said, pulling out his sword.  

_You can't do that.  You have to guide them…only._

Syaoran closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.  "Get out of my head, Hiragizowa."  

Sakura furrowed her brow.  "We have to get them out of this."

"And don't think about doing any possessing!  It was bad enough the firs time!"  Keroberus warned.

"I agree.  A different solution is advisable."  Yue said.

Keroberus glared at Yue.  "Why don't you say something more productive than 'I agree?' huh!?"

Syaoran sighed.  "Fine, fine, we'll do it _his_ way." (meaning Eriol)  Syaoran sheathed his sword.  "Come on Makoto!  You can do it!"

Sakura sweat dropped.  "I don't think that's what he means, dear."

"Eh?"

Keroberus chuckled.  "Gaki-boy doesn't get it."

"What don't I get?"

"We can help them in the battle, but we can't do it _for_ them."  Sakura explained, in the simplest terms she could.  "Does _that_ make sense?"

Syaoran nodded and took out his sword.  "Let's do it."

Sakura took out some cards.  "Sword!  Fight!  Power!"

Syaoran smirked.  "Those are your favorites, aren't they?"

Sakura smiled and giggled.

"I will do my best from the air to try and find a way out of this maze."  Yue said, flying into the air.

Syaoran was confused…again.  "Didn't the children already catch Maze?"

Keroberus sighed in defeat.  _Sometimes this boy can be too much.  _"He was speaking metaphorically."

"Oh…I knew that."  Syaoran turned his back to the guardian beast and ran to the battle.

"I'll help Yue in the air."  Keroberus said to his mistress, who nodded and ran off to Syaoran, while Keroberus took to the air.

"I've had enough of this!"  Makoto said in his rage. (He was still mad over his clone attacking Akiko)  "Fiery!"  He called out.

"Matte!"  Syaoran called out, running to his son's side.  "You use that and we're all dead!  Do you know how easily Wood- I mean _this_ _card_ would burn up?  How do you plan to get out then, hmm?"

Makoto sweat dropped.  "I didn't think of that."

"Use your surroundings to you advantage.  Don't attack aggressively, until you see an opening."  Syaoran instructed.  (Digidynasty: More dad/son scenes…*sigh* Syaoran-kun would make such a great father!)

Makoto nodded.  "Got it."

When Makoto's clone made a move at him, instead of attacking, like Makoto would have, he called out his cards.  "Jump!"  Makoto jumped up, grabbing onto a branch that was up high.  "Freeze!"  

Right then and there, the clone froze in place.  Then, out of his pocket, Makoto pulled out a small pebble.  He let it drop down and called out another card.  "Big!"  The stone turned into a large boulder that came crashing down onto the clone, smashing him on place, and soon dissolving into small magical speckles.

Syaoran nodded in approval, than gasped as Makoto dropped down, falling quickly towards the ground.  He reached into his pockets and went for a ward paper, but found nothing there.  "Nani?"

"Fuuka!  Sho rai!"  Makoto called out, slamming his sword down on one of Syaoran's ward papers, as he was falling, creating a cushion of air to land on, and floated safely to the ground.

Syaoran glared disapprovingly at his son.  

Makoto looked down sheepishly.  "I thought I might need them and…"

"Don't you think that was a bit of an overkill?"  Syaoran said, pointing his sword over at the boulder.

Makoto looked up in shock, then gave his father a determined look.  "He hurt Akiko."  Was all he said.

Syaoran nodded in understanding.  "I did the same thing when a Clow Card hurt your mother…"

As Freeze attacked Sakura and myself at the skating rink, Sakura was caught underneath it and was thrown into the air.

_"Jump!"  She shouted, after calling out her staff.  She jumped off Freeze and landed off to the side.  She carefully kept her balance as I skated towards her…_

_"Watch out!"  _

_I grabbed Sakura in my arms and dove off to the side._

_She thanked me but suddenly saw Freeze come back for round two.  Shoving me to the side, she took the full blunt of the blow and went flying into the air._

_I called out, "Sakura!!"  She landed hard and was passed out.  I was so mad; I ran at the card head on and started kicking it!  No one messes with my Sakura…err…even though she didn't know it yet._

_We ultimately captured Freeze and Sakura recovered without a scratch, but I never knew her getting hurt would affect me so…_

Makoto smiled at the story.  "Wow.  That was great.  Did you finally tell her you loved her after that?"

Syaoran sweat dropped.  "No…it wasn't till a few months…okay a long time later that I told her."

Makoto shook his head.  "And she waited for you that whole time?"

Syaoran patted his son's head.  "That, my son, is an entirely different story, and one I will not start now.  Shall we see if we can help your sister?"

"Or me!!"

Both boys turned and saw Akiko caught up in vines.  

"They came out of no where and wrapped me up like this!"  She said.

It must be Mist making Wood grow like this.  Which also means we're running out of time.  "Don't worry, we'll get you of there in no time."  Syaoran said.

Before he could unsheathe his sword, Makoto was already cutting Akiko loose with his own sword.  That's my son.

            Meeko on the other hand, was running out of room to maneuver.  

            "Use the cards you've already captured to try and defeat your enemy!"  Sakura guided.

            Meeko nodded and brought out a card.  "Arrow!"  She attacked her clone with Arrow, and pinned it against a tree by its clothes.  "Little!"  'Meeko' shrunk, but was still being held by Arrow and now, didn't have enough strength to get free.

            "Now!"  Sakura shouted.

            Meeko nodded, and pulled back her bowstring and fire a single arrow at her clone.  With dead point accuracy the arrow pierce the clone, and because of its size, it disappeared in a poof of smoke.

            "Yatta!"  Meeko jumped for joy, and hugged Shinji, who was off to the side, in case Meeko needed him, but he too was supposed to be minimal interference in certain situations.

            Yue and Keroberus flew down and landed besides everyone as they regrouped.  "There appears to be no way out."  Yue reported.

            "Appears?  There _is_ no way out!"  Keroberus said.  "And I have my video game set on pause back at home!  We have to get out of here!"

            Shinji nodded.  "Then I'll have to cut us out of here, don't I?"

            "Iie!"  Sakura said, pushing Shinji's hand back down.  "These cards are gentle cards, you just have to talk to them."

            "Hontou ni?"  Meeko asked.  She held her staff to her side.  "Return to the shape you were meant to be, Clow Card."

            The woods around them glowed with a greenish light and subsided until they swirl and formed into small visible shape of the Wood Card.  It smiled at Meeko, then reverted into its card form.  "Kerei…" Meeko whispered.

            "What about the second card?"  Makoto asked.

            Shinji's mouth gaped open.  "You _still_ haven't figured it out?"

            Keroberus snorted.  "He takes after his father.  Oww!"  He cried out, as Makoto threw one of his father's fire ward papers at Keroberus' wide open rear, lighting it on fire.  

            Syaoran laughed.  "You had _that_ one coming!"

            Keroberus growled, and made ready to attack the Li Clan Leader.

            Sakura placed a gentle hand on him.  "This card is a helix.  It won't turn into its real form until you call out its name."  She said.  "Now, why do you think you can't see anything?"

            "Cause there's all this mist in the way."  Makoto said.  Just then, the Mist Card also swirled around Makoto, and reverted to its card form.  "The Mist?  Oh I get it!"

            "Finally."  Yue mumbled.

            Keroberus' mouth dropped to the floor.  "He actually said something of his own!"

            "Shut up."  

            Keroberus went even more into shock and dropped to the floor laughing, ultimately going to his small form and going to his mistress' shoulder, wiping tears from his eyes.  "Who would have thought?"

            Sakura shook her head.  "Let's go home."

            Everyone cheered and chatted on the way back to their homes, where they could rest after such a full and stressful day.

            On the penguin slide, just down the ways from where they were, Eriol stood, dressed in his full outfit, Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun at his side.

            "They are getting better."  Spinel Sun said.

            "Yes, it is almost time."  Eriol agreed, holding his sun staff.

            Ruby Moon pouted.  "Just like old times, ne?"  She smirked.

            Eriol nodded.  "And judgment comes quickly for the cardcaptors…"


	38. Going Double Time

Second Generation Cardcaptors 38

            Sakura: Last time was definitely an adventure.  Syaoran: Yeah, running to the park two times in one day!  Sakura: That was because Makoto used return to save Akiko, dear.  Syaoran: We still could have been spared from the loophole!  Sakura: They had no idea we were coming.  Syaoran: *pouts*  Sakura: Anyways, Wood and Mist created a kind of Maze for the children and they not only had to find they're way out, but they also had to fight they're clones!  Hitori: Abbadon was controlling me!  I couldn't help it!  Tomoyo: Don't worry.  They don't blame you.  Eriol: Aren't you supposed to be doing your performances?  Tomoyo: I came back to visit.  Besides, you know I can't be around when you do the judgment.  Eriol: Shhh!!  They should know about it.  Sakura: Don't worry.  They're on a field trip today.  Syaoran: And so our story opens to Meeko and Makoto's Day at the Museum.

            Akiko had her camera out, recording Meeko, while Meeko tried to hide her nervousness.  "We already caught Silence, so you don't think a Clow Card will show up here do you?"  She asked, remembering Auntie Tomoyo's tape on the Silent and how it kept sending her mother back outside when they tried to capture it.

            Shinji shook his head.  "Nah, even Abbadon needs a break.  Maybe it'll be today."  He told her with a smile.

            Meeko smiled back and began skipping to catch up with the rest of the class.

            They had been assigned to pick a picture in the museum and try to either draw it as it was, or for extra credit, make it in another way.  Maybe make it abstract or recreate it in a watercolor.  Some were even using charcoal pencils, but that was far beyond Meeko's skills in drawing.

            Makoto and Akiko had decided to draw the water fountain in the middle of the courtyard.  Shinji and Meeko broke off from the main group and went over to a particular picture that caught Meeko's attention.  "Hey!"  She whispered.  "This is the same picture mom saved when she caught silent!"

            Shinji looked at the painting and smiled.  She was right.  Hanging on the wall, was a picture of a little girl with beautiful long, light brown hair, smiling.  She held her face in her hands and was framed by the windowsill.  Shinji wondered what she looked like now.

            "Looks pretty, don't it?"  A person said from behind them.

            "Sorry I talked too loud!  I'll be more careful!"  Meeko said.

            The woman smiled and shook her head.  "No, it's okay.  I was referring to the picture.  Mt father always good at capturing the sun when it was cast over the sea."

            Meeko blinked and looked between the picture and the woman and back again.  "You…you're her!?"

            Finally the woman nodded.  "Hai, when I was about 6 my father and I went to the beach and he drew that picture of me.  It was one of the last times I saw him.  He passed away a few months later."

            Shinji looked up.  "I'm sorry for your loss."

            "I'm fine.  He's in a better place now."  She said.  She had grown quite beautiful.  Her hair was down to the small of her back and her bangs were much more…adult like.

            "May we use it for our class project?"  Meeko asked, politely.

            "I would like that.  I'm sure you'll do a great job."  She said, and walked off to help other museum visitors.

            "Wait till mom hears who we met!"  Meeko quietly squealed.

            Shinji smiled at her enthusiasm.  "Now, how about we get started on…"

            "Excuse me."

            Shinji and Meeko turned around and found their teacher, Mizuki Sensei, with Akiko and Makoto.  

            "We may have a situation on our hands."  She told them.

            Shinji sighed.  "So much for a quiet field trip."  They followed Mizuki Sensei to another section of the museum.  

"You see this picture?"  She asked the young cardcaptors.

"Yeah, it seems normal to me."  Makoto said, a little annoyed that his private time with Akiko had been interrupted.

Mizuki Sensei then led them to a part of the museum that was cut off from the regular public.  "I didn't notice it at first, until Touya pointed it out to me."

"Uncle Touya?  He's here?"  Meeko asked.

Mizuki Sensei smiled.  "He works in many places."

"Kaho!"

The group looked over and saw Touya approaching.  

"Hello, Touya."  They shared a kiss and then went back to business.  "I brought the children to deal with the situation."

Touya nodded.  "Come on.  I'll show you."

They followed Touya back to where the paintings came in before they were put up for display.  Some came from inside the country and some came from China, England, Paris, and a lot of other places.

Touya brought them to a specific picture and they all gaped.  "That's the same picture that we just saw!"  Akiko exclaimed.

Touya nodded.  "All the pictures in this room are doubles.  They just appear and the museum doesn't know what to do with them.  I may not know enough about magic, but I'm guessing, this is something like it, cause what else could it be?"

Kaho turned to the children.  "If this is a Clow Card, it must be captured before anyone here sees it."

"Not another one!  Where are they coming from!?  Who's prank is this!?"  The museum's head director shouted.  "I swear if this keeps up I'm going to shut this museum down and have it debugged or de-ghosted, I don't care what.  Someone had better come up with a solution or else!"  Then he left in a huff.

"And we'd better hurry, cause we got trouble!"  Makoto pointed to a small white head that peaked out from behind one of the picture.  One small blue curl hung down between its eyes.

"That's the twin card!"  Shinji said.  He quickly pointed to its twin, who was hiding behind another picture.

"Come on! I got an idea!"  Meeko said, running out of the room and outside, behind the museum.

She pulled out her key.  "Oh key of Clow, bestowed by right.  Surrender the wand.  Surrender the light.  Release!"  Her key became a wand and she gasped it in both hands, giving it a twirl and pulled out a card.  "Sleep!"

Sleep was dispelled and flew over everyone in the museum, and soon, they were all fast asleep, including Touya.

"Now, we have to capture Twin Card, before they close up the museum!  Uncle Touya will be out of a job!"  Meeko exclaimed.

Shinji shook his head.  'It won't be that easy.  This is one of the harder cards to capture, because they have to be caught at the same time."

"That should be too hard."  Mizuki Sensei said as she walked up.

Makoto was shocked at first, then remembered she had magic, so of course she wouldn't fall asleep.  

"Meeko and Makoto will have to capture this card on their own."  She told them.

"Eh!?  You nuts!?"  Makoto exclaimed.  "We can't capture this card on our own!  We've always been a team!"

"And we always will be."  Shinji said, calmly.  He put a reassuring hand on Meeko's shoulder.  "But Mizuki Sensei's right.  You have to capture this on your own.  You two are the only ones who have the coordination t outsmart the card."

Meeko and Makoto exchanged looks, then nodded.  "Alright.  But you guys will back us up, right?"  Meeko said, look up hopefully at Shinji. 

"Of course."  He said with a smile.

            "We'll always be here for you."  Akiko said, winking at Makoto.

            "But it won't be enough to defeat us!"

            All four cardcaptors turned and saw both twins smirking evilly.

            "Great…now we have talking Clow Cards.  I liked it better when you guys didn't talk at all!"  Makoto shouted, getting out his sword key.  "Upon this key, I place a spell.  Show me your powers, within the sword do dwell."  His key turned into a sword and he turned to his sister.  _Ready to capture another Clow Card, sis?_

_            Ready and waiting._   She replied.  _I say we do some different combining.  What do you say, bro?_

_            Go for it._  He encouraged.

            Meeko smirked and pulled out her card.  "Arrow!"

            "Freeze!"  Makoto and Meeko hid the cards at the same time, and suddenly the sky was filled with ice arrows, aimed at the twin cards.

            The twins jumped back and forth, blocking and dodging the deadly projectiles.

            "Power!  Fight!  Aide your powers to Meeko and Makoto!"  Akiko shouted, hitting _both_ cards at the same time, Shinji besides her, lending his power into her staff, enough to release the cards.

            Meeko and Makoto were surrounded in a pink and blue light, creating a purple hue, and immediately filled the rush of power all around them.

            The twin cards recovered and glared at Meeko and Makoto.  Then, as if by silent challenge, both sides ran at each other.

            When they met in the middle, punches and kicks were thrown and others blocked.  It went so fast Shinji and Akiko were open mouthed.  "Even I can't fight that well, and they're my cards!"  

            Meeko and Makoto were so coordinated; the twins had trouble landing any blows.  Meeko and Makoto bent back and landed a solid kick at the base of their jaw, making the twins fly back.  Then, Suddenly, they flew forward and lifted Meeko and Makoto into the air, ready to have them come back down, so they could land a punch to the stomach.

            But they didn't land where they were supposed to.  "Windy!"  Shinji called out his elemental card, and Meeko and Makoto were whisked off to the side and landed safely on the ground.

            _I've had enough of this!_  Makoto told his sister.  _Use Wood!_

            _Got it!_

Meeko released Wood and several vines went flying towards the twins.

            "Dash!"  Makoto ran forward and used the vines like a lasso and before they knew it, the twin card was wrapped up in Wood, unable to get anywhere.  When Makoto was back besides his sister, she raised up her wand and he his sword.  "Return to the form you were meant to be!  Clow Card!"

            Magical streamers flew at Twin and both trouble-making twins were sucked into the card, and the card was awarded to Makoto.  

            "Yatta!"  Akiko said, running up to Makoto and giving him a nice big hug.

            "Now we only have one other thing to do."  Meeko took out another of her cards.  "Erase!"

            Erase came out and flapped its cape, reaching out to all the doubled pictures and wrapping them with a blue swirl, until they disappeared and no longer existed.

            Sleep began to loose its hold on everyone, and they soon awoke.

            "What!?  Where did all those doubles go!?"  The museum director said.  "Call the police!  We've been robbed!"

            Touya walked up.  "What doubles, sir?"

            The kids withheld giggles, as the director blinked in confusion.  "The ones that were here!  There were doubles of our pictures and then…they were…dahh!"

            He threw his hands up in a fury and stormed out of the room.  Touya smirked and walked over to his wife and cardcaptors.  "I owe you guys one, but next time, could you spare me the sleeping potion?"

            Meeko looked up sheepishly.  "Sorry, Uncle Touya."

            He smiled down at his niece.  "It's okay.  You guys did well."

            When Meeko and Makoto were talking with their uncle, Mizuki Sensei walked over to Shinji and whispered.  "It's almost time."

            He gasped and looked over at her, but she simply looked up as if she hadn't said anything.  _What did she mean by that?_

Standing on a tree also behind the museum, Kaho saw Eriol, Ruby Moon, and Spinel Sun, watching knowingly.  _Only four more cards Eriol, how much longer you gonna wait this out?_

_            Always want to know what's gonna happen, eh?  Well, I'm sure you know, so I won't tell you._

Mizuki Sensei shook her head and led everyone back inside.

At Abbadon's layer…

            Hitori felt Sleep be released and looked out her small window and then saw ice arrows falling like crazy.  _They must be attacking another Clow Card.  _She had thought.

            Now with Sleep released, Hitori sensed Fukushu leave the layer, no doubt on Abbadon's request.  Now was they're chance.

            "Mom?  You up?"  She asked quietly, so as to not attract attention from Abbadon.

            "Hai, I'm up.  Is it time?"  She responded.

            Hitori nodded and took out her card.  "We're getting out of here."  She used Create to _re_create the Sword Card.   "Stand away from the wall."  She instructed.

            Madoushi did as told and watched and "sword" sliced through the wall with ease, and soon mother and daughter were reunited.  "Time to leave."

            Hitori sliced the back of the dungeon, magic force field and all, and was greeted by painful, but welcome light.  She grabbed her mother's hand and ran out into the open air.

            Abbadon burst through the door, sensing his barrier broken, and roared at the fleeing forms.  "I'll et you yet!  You can't stop me!  I'll summon my demons from the under world and this Earth will be destroyed!!!"

            Hitori ran and wouldn't stop running, until they crept into the back of a local church.  "Funny how a little building can oppose a power like Abbadon."  She knew they were safe in here.

            Madoushi led them to the top, where they could look out and see the whole town, green and peaceful.  

            "Why do I feel like Quasimoto doing this?"  Hitori mumbled.

            Just then, the winds began to pick up and was soon join by rain and sleet.  "This isn't natural!"  Hitori shouted.

            "This is the work of the Clow Card Storm!  Abbadon may not be able to come here and get us, but he won't give up that easily either!  He'll attack with Storm until we're destroyed!"  Madoushi shouted, holding onto a pillar.

            "The church is going to collapse!"  Hitori shouted.  _Makoto!  Meeko!  Anyone!  Please come to the church!  It's going to collapse with us underneath!  HELP!  
  
_

Back at home, Meeko and Makoto looked up from their homework.  

            Walking home, Akiko and Shinji also looked up and all four said at once…

            "HITORI!"


	39. Reunion and Hardships

Second Generation Cardcaptors

            Mizuki Sensei: Last time the children visited my husband Touya at one of his part time jobs at the museum.  He had called them there because they had a little problem of their own.  It seemed the museum was receiving doubles of all their shipments and the head of the museum was anything but happy.  The four discovered that it was the Twin Card making all the problems.  But I specifically told them that only Meeko and Makoto could seal it and Shinji and Akiko agreed to help them.  They sealed it very craftily and everything was returned to normal.  That is until Abbadon attacked the newly freed Madoushi and Hitori…

            "You felt that!  Didn't you?!"  Meeko exclaimed to her brother's straight face.  She didn't realize it, but she had her hands on his collar, staring into his face.

            Makoto nodded and swallowed hard.  "Y-yeah, I felt it."  It was a shock that flew through his body at lightning speed.  A shiver that held such a coldness and so many other emotions.  Fear, worry, hate…but for who?  It wasn't centered on them.  

            "We've got to go to her!"  Meeko shouted.  "Makoto!"

            Makoto blinked away his feelings.  "Let's go."  He nodded and grabbed his key necklace.  It turned into his sword and his hit a card.  "Dash!"

            Meeko was right with him, calling out Fly, and soon they were out the window.

            "You felt that, didn't you."  Syaoran said, as a matter of fact.

            Sakura nodded by her place on Syaoran's side.  They were both on the couch, snuggled up, just catching up with everything.  "I did."

            "They don't have too many left."  Syaoran added.

            "You don't need to remind me.  I'm afraid for them enough as it is.  If it hadn't been for you, I would never have passed…"

            "Shhh, you were strong even then, and so are they."  Syaoran said, pulling his wife closer.

            "Yes, but that was Yue, this is…"

            "They'll do just fine."  Syaoran assured, giving his wife a kiss on the forehead.  "It's in their blood."

            Sakura smiled and snuggled deeper into his husband's embrace.  "I'll give you that much."

            "With the Clow Mistress for a mother and a descendent of Clow Reed?  How can they fail?"  Sakura gave him a look and he rolled his eyes.  "Come on, have some faith."

            Sakura sighed.  "At least they have Shinji and Akiko."

            "To a point."  _Until Eriol takes them out of the loop too…like he did us…_

            When Meeko and Makoto got on the scene, Shinji and Akiko were already there, weapons in hand, trying to get through the storm.

            "She's in there!?"  Meeko managed over the howling winds.

            Shinji nodded.  "We have to get them out of there!"

            Makoto looked up and gritted his teeth.  _We finally have her back; we can't lose her now.  Not after so long._

Meeko cupped her mouth with her hands and shouted to the building.  "Hitori!!  We're here!  Help us seal the card!"

            Makoto saw someone poke their head out of the top of the church.  But it wasn't whom he'd expected.  "Madoushi sensei!"  He shouted in shock.

            "Hitori was hit by some flying debris and is unconscious!  This is the Storm card and you need to overpower it to seal it!"  Madoushi shouted back, using some of her magic to magnify her voice.

            Akiko tightened her grasp on her staff.  "How are we going to overpower it!?"  

            _None of my cards are of any help!_  Meeko thought desperately.

            _Nor mine._  Her brother agreed.

            Shinji brought forth a card and slammed it down with his staff.  "Shield Card!  Protect the church!"  Shield was released and its pink hue surrounded the church, momentarily keeping Madoushi sensei and Hitori safe.

            Meeko looked all around her.  The wind was howling and the rain was beating down on everyone.    _I bet we could get to Hitori easier if the storm would just lessen for a few minutes!  If only we could counter it… Matte!  Soda!  (Wait!  That's it!)_

Meeko looked over at Shinji.  "Shinji-kun, release windy!  Akiko!  Release Power!  Oniichan!  Rain!"  

            The three didn't take any time to question it and did as told.

            "Windy!"

            "Power!"

            Windy and Power combined and soon the winds died down.  Akiko smiled in delight.  "Windy's countering Storm's high winds!"

            Meeko nodded in satisfaction and Makoto released rain.  Then, she did her part.  "Watery!"  She struck the card down and Watery combined with Rain and suddenly, there was very little rain.  It was practically down to a drizzle!

            "Alright Meeko!"  Shinji shouted.

            "Yatta!"  Akiko exclaimed.

            "Fly!"  Meeko shouted, flying up to the church.  Shinji called forth his wings and joined Meeko in the air.

            Madoushi smiled as they came and landed besides her.  "I'd expect nothing less from the Chosen Ones."

            "Where's Hitori?"  Meeko asked.

            Madoushi pointed to the side, and Meeko gasped as she saw Hitori, unconscious next to one of the church's columns.  "I placed her there to try and protect her from any more flying debris."  She turned to Shinji.  "Using Shield was very smart."

            Shinji tried to hide his blush.  "It was Meeko who practically stopped the Storm."

            Madoushi nodded.  "Now we must hurry and get out of here before Storm gathers strength."

            Shinji nodded and went over to pick up Hitori, while Meeko went back to the window.  "Coming down!"  She flew down gracefully and rejoined the others.

            Shinji hesitated a moment.  He turned to Madoushi.  "I'll be back for you."

            She shook her head with a smile.  "You needn't worry about me."  She jumped out of the window, and throwing out a hand, created a patch of wind that softened her landing.

            Shinji shook his head in disbelief, then gasped as the building began to shake.

            "Windy's loosing its control over Storm!"  Akiko shouted.

            "It's just too gentle of a card!"  Makoto shouted.

            Meeko gasped and was ready to fly back up to the church.  "Shinji!"

            Madoushi held a hand out to stop her.  "Windy is a gentle card, yes, but that can be changed."  Madoushi created a circle with her hands and a light formed from it.  Suddenly, Windy, as well as Power, Rain, and Watery, all gained power until Storm reverted back into its visible.

            "Time to seal it!"  Meeko said.  "Return to the form you were meant to be!  Clow Card!"  Storm closed its eyes and was turned back into a card, which was rewarded to Meeko.  "Yokatta." (Thank goodness)

            Shinji flew down and landed next to Meeko.  "She suffered only minor cuts and bruises.  We have to get her home though."

            Madoushi shook her head.  "I wouldn't suggest that."  Everyone turned to her with a "Huh??"  "Abbadon is after us.  You take her home and he'll come after you.  I suggest another suitable place."

            Makoto shrugged.  "I'm all ears."

            The four walked behind Madoushi, who was leading the way, very cautiously.  They still weren't used to her being…well nice.  True, Hitori had said that she had been under a spell by Abbadon this whole time, but it was still kinda weird seeing their teacher, well ex-teacher, with a recognizable smile on her face.

            "Shouldn't we tell mom about all this?"  Meeko wondered.

            Makoto shrugged.  "And what else could they do?  You heard Shinji.  They can't help us.  Besides, we only have three more cards to capture and this will all be a bad memory."

            Meeko nodded and kept walking, but couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched…

            "Together again, how sweet."  Ruby Moon smirked.  "Just like old times, right Eriol?"

            The reincarnated Clow Reed nodded with a sinister smile on his lips.  "I never tire of playing god when it comes to testing them."

            Spinel Sun shook his head.  "But they have yet to capture all the cards.  You cannot test them until then."

            "Not true.  After today, they will have only 2 and I will still be able to test my own daughter, for she will be done capturing the cards destined to her."  He replied.

            Ruby Moon pouted.  "What about that Hitori girl?  Is she to be tested?"

            "Not by me.  It will be the Clow Cards who decide if she is to become a true cardcaptor…or not."

            "And the descendants?"  Spinel Sun wondered.

            Eriol turned to his creation.  "That, my friend, is yet to be discovered."

            "Something the great Clow Reed doesn't know?  This should get interesting."  Ruby Moon watched as the group passed under them.

            "Yes." Eriol agreed.  "It will get very interesting indeed."

            Madoushi led them to an unknown part of the park and they were soon at the entrance to a cave.  "He will not be able to sense us in there."

            "Really?"  Akiko began to walk in, when the earth began to shake.

            Shinji got out his staff.  "Now what!?"

            In answer to his question, pieces of the park were uprooted until several dirt towers were visible all over town!

            "It's Earthy!"  Makoto shouted.  Suddenly, Earthy attacked directly under them and everyone was able to dive to the side except Makoto.

            "Makoto!"  Akiko shouted.

            Makoto was thrown to the side and hit the edge of the cave hard.

            "Makoto!" Meeko ran up to her brother, Shinji at her side.  "Hang on!  It'll be alright!"

            Akiko felt tears come to her eyes, and pulled out her sun key.  "Key of Clow, your powers sealed tight.  Lend me the power, lend me your might.  Release!"  The sun key transformed into the sun staff and Akiko glared at the giant tower.  "You've gone too far, Clow Card!  You're mine!"

            The Clow Card reacted to the threat and tried to make the ground under Akiko uplift the same way it had with Makoto.  But Akiko was ready.  "Float!"  Float created a bubble around her and she floated high above the created tower.  "Come on!  If you're after me, come and get me!"

            She directed her float path away from the rest of the party until it was just her and Earthy.  "I may not have veins to capture you with, but if you're truly made of dirt, then I know your weakness!"

            Earthy went after Akiko, attacking once again and this time, capturing the cardcaptor from underneath.

            "Akiko!"  Shinji shouted, calling forth his wings and flying towards his friend.  "I'm coming!"

            "NO!"  She shouted.  "This one's mine!"  Shinji stopped in midair.  "No one hurts _my_ Makoto and gets away with it!"

            Makoto heard this and looked worriedly from his place on the ground.  "Akiko…"

            "Bubbles!"  Akiko shouted, striking the card and covering the tower of Earthy in bubbles.

            Meeko frowned.  "She's giving it a bath?  I know it's made of earth and I know it's dirty, but…"

            Makoto pointed.  "No…look!"

            Akiko brought forth another card.  "Snow!"  Snow was released and created a snowstorm like you would not believe.  The water surrounding Earthy began to freeze, until it couldn't move anymore.

            "She did the same thing mom did with Water, except with different cards!"  Meeko exclaimed.

            Shinji caught Akiko as she jumped off and landed her on the ground.  She turned and glared at the frozen Clow Card.  "Earthy!  Return to thy true form!  Clow Card!"  She brought down her staff and sealed away the monstrous Clow Card.  When she did so, the towers in the city disappeared and everything was like nothing ever happened.

            Meeko walked her brother to the smiling Akiko.  "Silly, don't let me see you do something so fullharded again!"

            Akiko looked hurt, but when Makoto hugged her, she knew he was just worried.  "I care about you too much to see you hurt."  He said more gently.

            She nodded.  "Next time, we go in together."

            He nodded and let Akiko walk him into the cave.  Shinji carried Hitori inside and Madoushi soon followed as well.  Meeko, though, turned and looked around the park, wondering what it was she was feeling.  She frowned and shook her head, joining her friends inside.

            Spinel Sun shook his head.  "You stay here any longer and they're going to know what you are up to.  You forget, you're wife caught the last encounter on videotape and the children watched it.  They know you'll test them soon."

            "True."  Eriol agreed.  "But they do not know what the meaning of their mission is, or how important their defeating Abbadon is.  Or how hard.  They will need the extra powers surviving the test will give them, or we are all lost."

            Ruby Moon sighed.  "Staking the entire world's population on a few kids, I still don't like it."

            Eriol laughed.  "I didn't think you would, but this was written before even my time.  We must keep the balance of fate and fortune even…and these children decide just that."


	40. Judgement of the Clow Part 1

Second Generation Cardcaptors 40

            Eriol: Meeko, Makoto and their friends went to save Hitori and her mother, Madoushi, from the Storm card.  After sealing it away, Earthy attacked and injured Makoto.  Akiko used a combination of Bubbles and Snow to freeze Earthy and sealed it away.  Now that almost all the cards are captured, I have only but to begin the judgment, to see for myself if my daughter and the others are worthy of being the new holders of the Clow Cards.

            Meeko sat apart from the others as Madoushi did her best to heal Makoto, while Akiko watched over both Makoto and Hitori.  She had had this growing sense of something coming, but she didn't know what.  It bothered her.

            "Something on your mind?"

            Meeko looked up and saw Shinji smiling down at her.  "Sorry, I just have a lot to think about."  She admitted.

            Shinji sat down next to her.  "You're right you know."  She looked over in surprise.  "The judgment will begin for you and your brother, just like I had to go through."

            Meeko blinked.  "Are you _supposed_ to be telling me this?"

            Shinji shrugged.  "With the Clow Cards attacking like crazy and Abbadon after us, I don't really think I'd be breaking the rules to clue you in a little."

            "What will the judgment be like?"  She wondered.

            Shinji suddenly got very serious.  "I'm not sure.  That depends on Clow Reed."

            Meeko nodded, satisfied with the answers she'd received, for now, and stood up to go and support her brother.  She wanted to learn more, but she also knew she didn't have long to wait to get her answers.

            Sakura and Syaoran could feel the magic building in the city.  They also knew that the judgment was coming soon for their children and that like Mizuki sensei, Keroberus, Syaoran, and Tomoyo all those years ago had to step aside and let Sakura pass the judgment against Yue alone, so did they now had to wait patiently for the news of their children.

            While Syaoran read a book in the living room and Sakura dusted (her way of keeping her nerves in check) a knock was heard at the door.

            "I'll get it."  Sakura volunteered.

            But upon feeling _this_ aura, Syaoran got up as well.

            When they both went to the door and saw who was there, they gasped and took a step back.

            "E-Eriol!"  Sakura stuttered.  The first thing she and her little wolf noticed was that Eriol's aura had drastically changed.

            Eriol didn't respond.  Instead he raised his hand and formed a black energy ball, aiming it at Sakura.

            "Eriol!!"

            Fushuku walked into his Lord's chambers, head bowed.  "Sire, shouldn't we go after the sorceress and her kin?  Surely they will aide the cardcaptors in their battle against us."

            Abbadon laughed, receiving a look of confusion from his forced servant.  "We don't need those two anymore!"  Abbadon exclaimed, standing up with a large book in his clawed hands.  "Those two were only a distraction!  I now have the means to summon my minions from the hell below and wreak havoc here on Earth."

            "So…using them to defeat the cardcaptors was unnecessary?"  Fushuku questioned.

            "I never expected them to actually defeat the cardcaptors, no.  They are the descendants of Clow Reed, the once most powerful magician in the world.  It will take more than a sorceress and her created child to destroy them.  So I used them to keep those brats occupied while I searched for this…The Book of the Underworld.  It alone holds the incantation to bring my minions to me!"

            Fushuku's eyes widened as his magical eye could see the black aura resonating so powerfully off and around the book.  "That book holds so great a power?"

            Abbadon nodded.  "It can open hell and bring down the strongest of magicians."  The demon smirked knowingly.  "Even Clow Reed…"

            Back at the cave, Makoto was now up and feeling relatively fine.  "I wouldn't be a Li if I couldn't hold up against a Clow Card!"  He'd exclaimed when confronted with the myriad of questions all similar to: "Are you all right?"  Or "Are you sure you can walk?" and "Do you need help?"

            When Hitori awoke and said she would be fine as well, the group thought they were finally in the clear.  But they were wrong, for just as this thought entered all their minds…a huge crashing sound entered their ears.  The entire cave shook as something outside attacked.

            "What was that!?"  Akiko shouted, as the five children ran to the entrance of the cave.

            "Has Abbadon found us!?"  Hitori shouted ahead of her.

            When they finally saw what had shaken such a big cave, they gasped.

            Hitori stood there, shaking her head in disbelief. "I-it's me!"

            Indeed it was, for standing there wearing the exact same thing as Hitori…

            …was Hitori!  It looked just like her but with an evil grin on her face.  "It has time for you to meet your destiny!"  
            Hitori clenched her fists and ran towards her adversary.  Shinji followed as well as Akiko, Meeko, and Makoto.  But as the last three reached the edge of the cave, a shield blew them back and a sudden magical blackness swallowed them whole.

            "No!"  Shinji stopped dead in his tracks and spun around, ready to head back inside.  __

_            Stop…_ A voice said in his mind.  _Their time has come._  Shinji looked off to the side where Madoushi stood watching.  A silent message was passed between them and she nodded.

            He knew what she meant.  Gritting his teeth he ran to aide Hitori as he prayed for his other friend's safety.  Right now all he could do was protect their friend, he knew they would want him to.

            When the three opened their eyes they found themselves in total blackness.  They could see each other, but nothing of their surroundings was apparent.

            "W-where are we?"  Akiko stuttered.  She was scared.  She didn't like being in the dark.

            Makoto heard the fear in her voice and walked over to her.  "Hey come on.  I'm here with you.  I won't let anything happen to you."

            Meeko smiled in agreement.  "How about we find our way out of here, huh?"  Akiko nodded, reflecting Meeko's smile after a while.  "It can't be the Maze Card, so I'm sure we'll get out just fine."

            Akiko and Makoto nodded and the three walked around in a straight line, trying to find the way out.

            They walked for a while, Makoto never letting Akiko out of his grasp, for fear of loosing her, like on so many other occasions, but also keeping his senses on a alert for any on coming danger.

            Meeko stopped just ahead of them and held up a hand to stop her friends.  "There's something very powerful up ahead."

            Makoto slowly came up with Akiko behind Meeko and stretched out his senses.  "It's a magical barrier of some sort.  I can't sense anything past it."

            Meeko narrowed her lips to a thin line and bravely walked forward.

            "Meeko…" Akiko warned quietly, scared as if a loud shout would trigger off another booby trap in this strange place.

            When she was close enough, the barrier revealed itself.  It was a huge ice wall that blocked their path.  "At least we know we're going the right way."  She said in all serious and in a strange optimism.

            Makoto took his arm away from around Akiko, only for a moment, and took out his card.  "This'll be easy."  He called out his sword and threw the card forward. "Fiery!"

            As Fiery dove forward, something unexpected happened.  Instead of melting the ice wall, it was bounced back, heading straight towards the cardcaptors.

            "Watch out!"  Meeko dove to the side, as Makoto grabbed Akiko and dove to the other side.

            "Why didn't it work!?"  Akiko shouted, as Makoto pulled her to her feet.

            "It has to be combined with another power!"

            "Is there some way we can destroy it from the inside out?"  Makoto wondered.

            Meeko thought for a moment.  They could do that…but they'd need a way to get _through_ the outer barrier to get to the ice.

            _Through_…

            Meeko snapped her fingers and smiled.  "If I can just get to him!"  She closed her eyes and sent a silent message to Shinji…

            Hitori stood face to face with herself and felt a strange sense of unease from her doppelganger.

            Her double smirked as it crossed its arms.  "I know what you truly are, cardcaptor, and I will finally put to test if you can except that yourself."

            Shinji held his staff out and ready if Hitori needed any help, but knew he really couldn't interfere.  Somehow he knew this was _her_ judgment, and he could only help her minutely.

            _Shinji…_

Shinji gasped and turned inwardly for a moment.  _Meeko?_

            _Shinji…I need you to lend me a card.  Can you release Through?_

            Shinji frowned.  Could he?  Was that going too far?  Thinking about it, he didn't think so.  It was she who had made the suggestion and after he released it, it would be her to ask it to do what she needed.

            _Hai, I can.  Chotto matte._

While Hitori stood off against her double, trying to think about what to do, Shinji quickly pulled out the Through card.  _Onegai, help Meeko.  Through!_  He silently asked, striking the card with his staff.  It appeared, then disappeared to go do as its Master wished.

            Back in their realm, wherever that was, Meeko saw Through appear and both Makoto and Akiko smiled widely.  "Makoto, on my mark."

            "Hai." Her twin replied.

            Meeko told the card what to do, and it nodded.  "Now!"  Through flew toward the ice wall, at the same time Makoto released Fiery.  The two cards combined and as through opened a hole in the ice wall, Fiery went inside and destroyed the wall from the inside out, melting it and making it vanished.

            "Arigatou."  Meeko thanked the card.  "Now, return to your Master."

            Through smiled and disappeared to go back to Shinji.

            "Shall we go on?"  Meeko smiled and continued out their journey.

            Outside, as Hitori understood it, all she had to do was answer three questions truthfully and she could seal the two cards.  One, she already knew was Mirror, which is how it was able to take her form, but the other eluded her.

            "If it wants to pass judgment by questions, then it can tell if you're lying or not."  Shinji hinted.

            Hitori's eyes widened.  "Libra!"  Libra had the ability to see into a person's soul and tell if they were lying or telling the truth, then punish them accordingly.  "Fine mess I've gotten myself into."

            "First question!  Did you have any attraction towards the Cardcaptor Li Makoto?"  Libra asked.

            Hitori gasped, along with Shinji.  Averting her gaze, Hitori nodded.  "Yes…yes I did."  Then she looked up with determined eyes.  "But I didn't want to hurt my friend Akiko!  They were destined to be together and I was not going to break them apart!"

            Mirror nodded, satisfied.  "Very well, next question!"

            The group continued on until they finally met an area that was barely lit.  It was a large clearing.  As the three walked through it, continuing straight past it, two forms materialized at the end.  Meeko knew them and gasped.

            Makoto beat her to the accusation, though.  "Mom!  Dad!"

            He was right, but their auras were darker, Syaoran's being a dark forest green, and Sakura's being an even darker blood red.  

            "What's wrong you guys!?"  Meeko questioned.

            "You are not the Chosen Ones."  Syaoran said in a monotone, his head coming up and his eyes glazed over.

            "You're destiny is death."  Sakura said, her eyes just a blank.

            "Iie!  Mom and Dad, what are you saying!?"  Meeko couldn't believe it.

            Akiko leaned in towards the still shocked Makoto.  "Is it really them?"

            Makoto nodded and tried to hold back his fear.  "It's them, but they seem to be controlled the same way Eriol was before."

            "Well, what are you waiting for!?"  Meeko growled.  "Let's break them free of it!"  Meeko ran forward, calling out her bow and arrow.  

            "No!  Meeko!  Wait!"  Makoto ran after his sister, not wanting her to have to fight alone.

            Meeko ran to her mother and looked worriedly at her.  "You are the original Clow Card Mistress!  You can't give into Abbadon so easily!"

            Sakura didn't answer, but simply called forth Sword and came slashing down at her daughter.  

"Mom!"  Meeko exclaimed, dodging to the side.

Makoto faced off with his father.  "After all this time, of finding out our lineage, our _true_ lineage, you're planning on giving up and shooting this all out to hell!?"  He was mad at his father and attacked.  If it was a fight his father was after, it was a fight he was going to get.

            Abbadon smiled as he looked through the Dragon's Mirror in front of him.  "This is perfect!  I won't have to lift a finger to kill the cardcaptors.  Clow Reed will do it for me!"  Then his evil laugh echoed through his unholy chambers.

            "Questions #2!"  Hitori's twin announced.

            Hitori tensed up, knowing it was going to be hard and readying herself for it.

            "Did you not enjoy seeing the cardcaptors struggled and cry out in pain while battling cards _you_ yourself combined and controlled!?"

            Shinji gasped and looked at Hitori in shock.  "H-hitori?"

            Hitori met his gaze with denial, but wasn't sure if that was the true answer.

            "Answer the question, _creature_."  The cards told her.

            She shook her head, refusing to saw what she knew in her heart to be true.

            "Hitori…" Shinji said sadly.  "Answer the question…"

            Hitori winced at the pain in his voice and looked down at the ground.  "Yes."  She stated.  But then her head shot up and she glared at her twin.  "But that was before I saw them show sympathy towards Dash!  Watch them bring in cards carefully that they knew were gentle but acted aggressively.  After that, I knew I was on the wrong side."  She looked over at Shinji with a weak smile, one that, after a moment, he returned.

            "Very well!  The final question is at hand!"

            Meeko was slammed into the outer wall and slumped to the floor dazed.  Akiko ran to her side and blocked Sakura's path with her sun staff.  "How can you do this!?"  Akiko asked.  "She's family!  If there is a shred of your former self in there, you won't do this!"

            Sakura paused for a moment, the words seemingly sinking in, then her aura flashed and Akiko was slapped to the side by an invisible force.

            "Akiko!"  Makoto barely blocked his father's attack.  Instead of using brute force against Syaoran, Makoto diverted it to the side, throwing his father's balance off just enough to buy him the few precious seconds he needed to back flip to his sister's side.  She was just getting to her feet.

            "Akiko!  You okay!?"  Makoto's first reaction had been to run to the aid of his love, but then he realized that he and Meeko were the targets and as long as she stayed out of the fight, Akiko would be fine.

            "Yeah great," Akiko replied.  "I feel like I just got hit in the head with one of your sister's hoe run softball hits."

            "I'll show you how it's done as soon as we get out of this."  Meeko added as she used her staff to hold herself up.

            _But to do that we have to go through Mom and Dad…  _Makoto told her.

            _I…I can't…_  Meeko replied in growing fear.  _I can't take my own parent's life!_

            _You think I want to!?  But if we don't we won't make it out of here!_

_            Maybe if we give up, they'll snap out of it!_  Meeko suggested.

            _If that worked, don't you think Mom and Dad would have won against Eriol all those months ago?_

_            Well…_

_            We have to do this…_

Both twins held their weapons out to the side in a non-threatening manner and closed their eyes.

            Akiko saw Sakura and Syaoran raise their weapons ready to strike down at their children.  "No!  Makoto!  Meeko!"  _Are they going to surrender??_

            But her cries went unheard as the swords came down and were about to split the children in half.

            At the last moment, both children moved as one and struck fatal attacks to their hearts.  Meeko, using Arrow, had embedded her sharp projectile right through Sakura.  Makoto had used his sword and stabbed his father also through the heart.  

            Time stood still as everything before Akiko's eyes vanished.

            "YES!  Abbadon boomed in his lair.  "I've won!  The Clow Descendant and Mistress are no more!!!"

To be continued…


	41. Judgment of the Clow Part 2

Second Generation Cardcaptors 41

Akiko: Last time, Meeko, Makoto and myself were sent to this weird place where it was pitch black and we couldn't find our way out!  While we're lost, Hitori faces her judgment, by order or Mirror and Libra, two Clow Cards and one nasty combination.  She made it through two questions but one is still left to go!  Meeko and Makoto met up with their parents in a dangerous battle that left Sakura and Syaoran dead!  How could things get worse!?

            When Akiko awoke, she found herself at the front of Mizuki Sensei's house, the shrine that had held so many mysteries for the cardcaptors before their time.

            Cardcaptors…

            Remembering what had happened, Akiko tightened her grip on her staff and looked around frantically.  She noticed it was dark and there was an evil sense engulfing the air.

            When she got no answer she analyzed her present situation.  This all looked very familiar…

            The shrine…

            The darkness…

            It was from her dream!

            Only one thing remained and as if on signal, Eriol appeared at the top of the shrine entrance.

            "Daddy!"  Akiko shouted.  "Give Makoto and Meeko back!  And Aunt Sakura and Uncle Syaoran too!  I know you have them!"

            "But it must be you who saves them."  He replied.

            His voice.  It was much deeper than she was used to hearing.  As if it was a different voice entirely.

            "Defeat me and receive your friends in return."  He replied.  Then without warning, red crystals came blasting from the side.

            Akiko sensed them before she saw them and rolled out of the way.  "What's going on!?"

            In response to her question, Ruby Moon materialized where the crystals had came from, a smirk on her face.  "You may be strong, but you'll have to be stronger to defeat us."

            "Us?"

            Again, as if on cue, a might blast of wind uprooted trees and heavy tile, aimed right towards Akiko.

            Her eyes widened in surprise, but her body couldn't move fast enough.  When the blast reached her, though, the ground around her lifted in large slates, blocking any debris and breaking the attack on all sides!

            This caused Eriol and Ruby Moon to gasped in surprise.  Spinel Sun appeared from his vantage point and watched keenly with his yellow panther eyes.  "Well that was unexpected."  He stated.

            Akiko, who had crouched at the last moment, slowly opened her eyes and glanced up to look at the glowing card in front of her.  It was Earthy!  It floated down in front of her, where she caught it with shaky hands.  _Don't give up yet, cardcaptor.  You are stronger than you realize and if you keep your strong will, you'll do just fine.  Never give up on yourself._

"I've heard of Light and Dark speaking truth to those tested, but Earthy?"  Ruby Moon whispered to Eriol, taking her place on his left side, while Spinel Sun landed on his right.

            "Yes, it seems very intriguing indeed."  Eriol narrowed his eyes.  _But it's not over yet._

_            This isn't over yet, one more question and I can seal these cards once and for all!  _Hitori thought as time seemed to stand still before the cards asked their last question.

            Shinji took this moment to still his breathing.  On one end he felt Meeko in deep agony over sleighing her own mother and on the other end, he had Hitori with only one question to go.  And it would be the hardest one of all…__

"Cardcaptor!"  Libra said after what felt like an eternity.  "Your last question is this…"

            Hitori held her breath and she waited for the question.

            "Are you truly a human being?"

            Shinji gasped.  "That's it?  Of course she is!  What kind of question is that coming from a card like you?"  He shouted.

            "Hush, guardian!  She must answer the question herself!"  Libra turned to Hitori.  "Well?  What do you plead?"

            Shinji smiled and turned to look at Hitori with a confident tone.  "Tell her.  It's simple, right?  Of course you are!"  He knew he wasn't supposed to be telling her what to say, but with a question like this, the card might well have asked her what 2+2 is!

            But then he saw Hitori's head down, her eyes closed with tears threatening to fall from her lashes.  "No."  She said quietly.

            "Nani!?"  Shinji exclaimed.

            "I'm not human!"  She shouted, the tears already falling down her face as she turned to face him.  "I was something created by my mother!  My _creator_!  I was never human, nor will I ever be!  That is my fate and I have accepted it!"

            Shinji's sense went off the charts and he instinctively grabbed Hitori and dove down, avoiding a yellow blast from the Clow Card.  

            "What's going on!?"  Hitori exclaimed, getting to her feet.  "I answered your questions!  And I answered them truthfully!  Now I get to seal you and save my friends!"

            "You lied!"  Was all the card said, before its eyes lit up the same horrifying yellow and a blast came shooting towards them again.

            Shinji jumped to one side, this time, and Hitori jumped to the other.  "What are you saying!?"  Hitori demanded.

            "One can't lie to themselves and expect others to tell them the truth for them!"  Hitori's double jumped up high and made a fist, then came down aiming at Hitori down below.

            Hitori gasped and would've been hit had Shinji not flown across and moved her out of the way, barely in time.

            When they were off to the side, Shinji's wings went back into his back and he fell to his knees.  "Shinji-san!"

            He gritted his teeth, fighting the pain in his head as blood dripped down from a cut on his head, splattering his white-gray clothes and his gray hair turned a deep brown.  "Don't…give into them."  He wheezed, struggling to stay conscious.  "I…believe in you and when this is all over, Meeko, Makoto and Akiko…they're all gonna show what being a friend means, because you'll still be our friend and that's what friends do…" He closed his eyes with one last smile and passed out.

            "Shinji-san…" Hitori whispered, tears falling once again from her eyes.  "I won't let you down.  I promise."  She slowly laid him down to rest and got up to glare at the ever-confident Clow Cards.  "He…got hurt protecting me.  He was protecting me because he believed in me."  She paused and called out her twin sai.  "And he believed in me because he's my friend!"  She shouted, and jumped in to battle the Clow Cards.

            "Earthy!  Lock!"  Akiko released those two cards and together they combined to create circular cages of Earth that trapped Eriol's guardians, rendering them useless in the fight.  "This is just you and me, Clow Reed!"  She shouted.

            "Very well."  Eriol consulted, as he floated won to the ground in front of Akiko.

            She growled and began the assault.  "Power!  Snow!"  Akiko attacked with a snow blast, and powered by…well Power, it flew towards Eriol like a blizzard.

            He simply raised his own sun staff and fired red fireballs to melt the snow.  "You're gonna have to do better than that if you want to save your friends."

            Akiko growled, then gasped as her father then attacked her with fast-propelled rocks.  "Fight!"  She blocked and punched and kicked as many as she could, but some still got through.  Her legs and arms got cut up, then one his her head, making her miss more, until her punches and kicks got so sloppy, she wasn't blocking any, even with Fight's help.  "Yamate!"  She pleaded with her father.

            The assault ceased and she fell to the ground in exhaustion.  Blood flowed from the wound in her head and her arms shook to sustain herself.

            Eriol walked up slowly, stopped just so Akiko was at his feet.  "Do you yield?"

            "If I do…will you let my friends go?"  She asked, breathing heavily from the fight, but keeping her head up to look him in the face.  She also felt her powers being sucked away from Lock and Earthy, which still held the guardians.  But she knew, if he let them loss, she wouldn't stand a chance.  Not that it matter at the moment anyway.

            "I will."  He stated.

            She lowered her head in submission and answered quietly.  "I yield."  _This is the only way.  Live on in strength…Meeko…Makoto…Shinji…minna…  Gomennasai…_

            Eriol raised his staff, which glowed a hellish red, and brought it down swiftly upon his daughter…

            Hitori ran her sai this way and that, slashing like made at her double, hating it even more now that it had hurt Shinji.  "I knew I should've never trusted a Clow Card!"

            She flipped forward, landing a mark on the arm of her opponent.  That only seemed to anger it more, and it roughly grabbed Hitori's hands and held them tight.

            She let out a cry of pain as she felt the small bones in her wrists crack under the immense pressure.  "You should've trusted yourself more!"  The Clow Card said, twisting its hands to make Hitori finally drop her weapons.  The Clow Card head butted her and followed up with a punch to the chest and a kick to her stomach.

            She went flying and hit one of the boulders outside the cave.  She went down and stayed down, the world around her spinning uncontrollably.  She vaguely saw her twin's feet appear directly before her vision and closed her eyes.  "Meeko…Makoto…Gomennasai.  I tried my best, but I couldn't do it.  Thank you for being my friend.  Thank you for being there for me.  I only wish I could've been there for you when you really needed me."

            Expecting the last blow to come swift and painless, Hitori readying herself.  But when nothing happened, she opened her eyes and looked up…

            To see Mirror smiling.  "I knew you could do it."

            "Huh?"  Hitori was completely confused.  

            Mirror raised a hand, slowly, just above Hitori's head…and her wounds magically healed. 

            "Why?"  Hitori asked.

            "You passed.  You passed the test."  Mirror said happily.  "I knew that you would."

            "I…but…I'm not human…am I?"  Hitori asked, getting to her feet.

            "It doesn't take a naturally formed body or memories of a past childhood that make you human.  It is the compassion, understanding, and devotion of the heart that makes one human.  You showed that by saying goodbye to your friends.  At your moment of death, you were being selfless by thinking of those who had shown you friendship in the past instead of yourself.  That is a human trait."  Mirror explained.

            Hitori smiled and nodded in understanding.  "So I was human all along."

            Mirror nodded back.  "You just never knew it."  It winked and walked over to where the dropped sai still lay.  It picked them up and handed them to the cardcaptor.  "Will you not seal us now?"

            Hitori nodded and held the sai over her head in a crossed formation.  "Return to thy form you were meant to be.  Clow Card!"  During the last part, she threw her arms out to her sides where two cards formed at the end of each sai.  Afterwards they flew over to Hitori and landed in her hands.

            She smiled, then heard Shinji groan and ran to his side.  She noticed his wounds were all gone too.  _Thanks Libra…_

            "Wha…?" Shinji wondered as he looked around.  "Are you all right?"

            Hitori nodded with a smile and handed him the sealed Libra card.  "This is yours."

            Shinji looked at it and frowned at her.  "Why?"

            Hitori looked at it carefully.  "I wouldn't have figured it out if it hadn't been for you, so here."  She handed it to him, which this time, he accepted.

            All of a sudden, though, a white light surrounded them and they disappeared…

            "Akiko.   Akiko, wake up."  

            Akiko slowly opened her eyes and looked to see Makoto sitting besides her.  "Makoto?"  Then she remembered.  "Makoto!  You're alive!"  She threw her arms around his neck in a sudden hug.

            "Well, I won't be for long if you hold on to me like that any longer."  Makoto managed through her chokehold.

            She blushed and let go.  "Gomen."

            "Don't worry.  I'm sure he would've done the same thing.  Oh wait, he has!"  Meeko's joking voice came from besides Akiko.

            "Meeko!  You too!?"  Then she noticed all around her, in the white…somewhere…Hitori, Shinji, Sakura, Syaoran, Eriol and the guardians.  "Minna!  You're all here!"

            "Hai, hai.  And don't worry.  It's over."  Sakura said with a smile.

            Akiko blinked.  "What is?"

            "Your judgment."  Eriol stated.

            "Let me explain."  Sakura offered.  "Earlier today, Eriol came by our house…"

            _Eriol raised his hand and a black energy ball formed, aimed right at Sakura._

_            "Eriol!"_

_            But as the ball was released, it stopped before Sakura and grew until they saw the images of their children in the cave.  It was as if the energy ball were a crystal ball/_

_            "Their time has come.  I will test them now.  In order to do this, I'm going to need your assistance."  Eriol's voice was that of Clow Reed.  It was much deeper than that of Eriol's and his aura was much stronger as well.  "You must battle them.  And you must battle them at full strength…"_

"So Syaoran and I took our role in this twist of destiny and fought you at full strength, until we fell by your hand."  Sakura explained.

            "So, you guys had to die, for Meeko and Makoto to pass their judgment?"  Akiko asked.

            Syaoran nodded, then held a hand to his heart.  "Which wasn't fun at all."  He winced in mock-pain, remembering how it did feel to die by his son's blade.

            Sakura frowned.  "Funny, cause I didn't feel a thing."

            This brought a glare from Syaoran to Eriol, who smiled and withheld a giggle.  "Sorry about that.  Between glazing your eyes over as part of the illusion, I guess I forgot to block off the pain of the last attack."

            Syaoran was ready to jump on the creator of the cards, but Sakura held him back.

            Eriol still smiled and faced the cardcaptors.

            "So, they were never under a spell from the beginning?"  Meeko asked.

            Eriol nodded.

            "And you're still you?"  Makoto asked.

            Again, Eriol nodded.

            "What about Hitori?"  Meeko asked, turning towards their friend.

            Hitori proudly held up the Mirror Card and Shinji held up the Libra.  "They put up quiet a fight, but with friends like you in my heart, how could I lose?"  She smiled.

            Shinji nodded.  "And she found out a little more about herself as an added bonus."

            This got everyone to laugh.

            Suddenly, though, Eriol got serious.  "We still have a problem on our hands."

            Shinji nodded.  "Abbadon."

            "He's going to release the Black Sun onto Earth and then we'll never be able to defeat him!"

            "Black Sun…" Meeko said to herself.

            _Beware the Black Sun…_That's what Light had told her before she'd sealed it away.

            "What's Black Sun?"  Meeko questioned.

            "Black Sun is the name of Abbadon's legion in hell.  If he has the Book of the Underworld, which I'm assuming by now he does, it holds the spell which will unlock the door and allow his minions to cross dimensions."  Hitori explained.  "We have to stop him!"

            "The Li Cardcaptors will handle this!"  Makoto stated boldly.

            "The Li Cardcaptors and _Friends_, you mean."  Akiko giggled.

            "Right!  Let's go!"  On command, Eriol raised his staff and everyone was surrounded in a white light.

            Abbadon grabbed his book and lifted Fushuku up by his collar.  "Enough waiting.  It is time I release my demons and send these brats and their parents to hell!"

            Fushuku nodded as Abbadon made ready to leave his lair.

            Suddenly, in front of him, thirteen forms appeared, all glaring at him and weapons out and ready.

            Eriol standing besides Syaoran.

            Sakura by her husband, her guardians close by to protect her.

            Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun above their Master.

            And the five chosen cardcaptors led the way, with Madoushi on the side her dragon stone in hand.

            "Hold it right there, bug breath!"  Makoto shouted.

            "We've got a bone to pick with you!"  Meeko followed up with.

            Shinji nodded.  "We're going to finally send you back to the hell that spawned you!"

            "And make you pay for hurting our friends and family!"  Akiko shouted towards the demon.

            "By sealing you away forever more!" Hitori held her sais out and at the ready.

            Abbadon smirked and set Fushuku down, and opened his mouth to bear his fangs.  "We will see who goes to hell first…"

            To Be Continued…


	42. The End of Abbadon and the Beginning of ...

Second Generation Cardcaptors 42

Digidynasty: I guess I should apologize for waiting so long to write the ending, but I started so many projects I couldn't keep track of them all. Syaoran: You're damn right you should apologize! I've been waiting forever to see the ending! Makoto: Yeah! Me too! Digidynasty: Boy you guys are so alike it's annoying! ANYWAYS, here's the last chapter.

Smirking as he now had an audience, Abbadon, with one hand around the Book of the Underworld, ran his other hand through the unsuspecting Fushuku. Everyone gasped as Abbadon then pulled his bloodied arm back, holding Fushuku's heart!

Fushuku, still in shock, fell down and landed in a pool of his own blood.

Simultaneously, Akiko and Meeko screamed and hid their eyes from the bloodshed.

"Now I have all the pieces!" He exclaimed. He opened the book and as he held up the still beating heart he read the passage to summon his army. As soon as he was finished, the heart burned into ashes in his hands and black holes opened up all around the group and from them, creatures of all sorts came materializing out of them.

"The Black Sun! You've got to be kidding me!" Syaoran exclaimed, holding his Li Clan sword out and ready.

"Unfortunately no." Eriol said calmly. "We still may have a chance. If we can get that book away from him, I might be able to send his creatures back into hell."

"What about Abbadon himself!?" Sakura said worriedly as the holes beneath the monsters sealed up and the armed undead closed in on their prey.

"The cardcaptors will have to use the elements to seal him away." Eriol looked down at the children. "Split up and while we fight the monsters, I'll need you to get the cards ready."

Shinji nodded. "Right!"

"We will dispense of these and allow Eriol to get to Abbadon himself." Yue explained.

"You can count on us!" Meeko assured.

"All right! Let's do this!" Syaoran gave the signal and everyone separated into groups.

"Fly!" Sakura called out her fly card and large white wings grew from her back. Flying into the air, she, along with Yue and Keroberus allowed a few of the creatures to follow them off to the side. "Kero-chan! Go and stay with Syaoran-kun!"

The winged lion's mouth fell wide open. "What!? You serious?"

Nodding, Sakura called out the sword card and transformed her wand into a sword. "Yes! Yue and I will be enough! Now go!"

Growling his discontent, Keroberus flew off to join the Li Clan Monarch.

The monsters the Clow Card Mistress faced resembled knights in armor, except the space in between the armor was empty! Glowing red eyes filled the blackness of their helmets and they wielded swords. "Let's go, Yue-san!" Flying down, Sakura used the innate power of the sword's knowledge to go one on one with the creatures.

Yue pulled back his blue-lighted bow and arrow and destroyed three of the knights coming up behind Sakura. "No one harms my mistress." He said, narrowing his gray eyes in warning.

Ruby Moon was having a ball with her adversaries. Swarms of black bats flew at her and with one arm raised, she aimed her red fire crystals at them, easily dispatching of them. "That was almost too easy!"

"It's not over yet!" Spinel Sun flapped his wings and tried to stop the downed monsters from morphing as they were appearing to do. One by one the small bats which were to easily destroyed grew into bat-men with heads like bats but large human bodies that were covered in fur. "You have to say something, didn't you Ruby Moon?" He asked sarcastically.

Giggling nervously, Ruby Moon sent energy into her arm and dove down to battle the bat creatures up close. Spinel Sun opened his mouth and sent a fiery attack to char others that weren't formed yet.

Eriol looked around the battlefield and saw Hitori and Madoushi-sensei battling Abbadon. _They will not be able to defeat him like that. It will take the four elements to save us._

Syaoran cursed as he tried dodging the attacks of the creatures sent against him. With baldheads and large turtle shells on their backs, the monsters had a good defense as well as offense.

"These are Kappa!" Keroberus explained. "Fire should work well against them!" Opening his mouth he demonstrated his theory by vaporizing three with one wave.

"Gee, thanks! Like I couldn't tell for myself!" Syaoran squeezed the hilt of his weapon and unleashed a fiery blaze of his own, destroying a hand full more. But where dozens fell, others took their place. "There's no end to them!"

"You took away my friendships!" Hitori attacked viciously with her sais. "You took over my mother!" Dodging his counterstrike, Hitori leapt behind the dark lord. "You used me to hurt my friends!" Jumping up, she landed on his shoulders and ran her twin blades deep into his neck. "And for that I will see you sent back to hell!"

Grabbing her by the back of the shirt, Abbadon threw the pest off him and Madoushi rushed to catch her daughter.

"I fear our strength will not be enough." The woman said.

Growling, Hitori got back to her feet. "But I will not stand by and do nothing!"

"Nothing is what you will soon become, young one!" Abbadon smirked, his victory at hand.

Flying up to a tree, Shinji held out Windy. _I'm ready!_ He sent to Meeko.

"Gotcha!" Meeko pulled out her staff. "Fly!" Flapping her wings, Meeko flew up to the top of another tree. Then she held out Watery. Looking around for her brother, Meeko thought, _Shinji and I are ready. What about you two?_

Meeko climbed to the top of a boulder and stopped to catch his breath. _Almost...there_. Then he took out Fiery. _Akiko, where you at?_

Akiko, using Float, flew up to another high advantage point. _Ready to go._

"Good," Said Makoto. "Now all we have to do is wait for Eriol's signal."

Eriol, seeing all the children in place, ran towards Abbadon. "You're downfall is at hand." He brought out his staff and began firing large red energy blasts at the dark lord.

Abbadon simply raised an arm and blocked the attack. Laughing, he looked down at the reincarnation of his most hated enemy. "Clow-sama, so nice of you to visit. Are you here to be put to your death once again?"

"This time I will see you destroyed Abbadon!" Eriol said, tightening his hands on his staff.

With Abbadon's attention on Eriol, the small raccoon like creature easily jumped on the dark lord and snagged the Book of the Underworld away.

"What!?" Turning around, Abbadon saw Hitori recalling the Create card with a smile. "Something I took back when you weren't looking." She revealed. Then, lifting up the Book of the Underworld, Hitori threw it at Eriol. "Catch!"

Jumping into the air, Eriol flipped and caught the dangerous book. When he landed, he could see the fear in Abbadon's eyes. "No!" Shouted the monster.

Opening the book, Eriol immediately chanted the spell that would vanquish all Abbadon's Black Sun into hell.

As Sakura and Yue fought the bodiless knights, the black holes that created them formed once more and both had to react quickly by jumping into the air. The black holes sucked in the minions of hell and closed up without any evidence of their existence.

Syaoran flew over on Keroberus, also having took to the air and sighed with relief when he saw Sakura safe and sound. "Glad to see you're alright."

"Are you saying I couldn't properly protect her?" Yue asked, crossing his arms.

Sweatdropping, Syaoran shook his head. "N-not at all."

Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun joined Eriol as Hitori and Madoushi held him off from the right. Sakura and Syaoran, along with Yue and Keroberus blocked off his exit to the left. "This is the end for you Abbadon. This time there will be no escape." Eriol lifted his staff. "Now cardcaptors!"

"NO!" Abbadon shouted in worry.

"Fiery!" Makoto struck his card.

"Windy!" Shinji used his staff to hit the card.

Meeko raised her staff. "Watery!"

Akiko pulled down her staff and activated the last element. "Earthy!"

At once all four cards lit up and the elements were released. They flew down at Abbadon and wrapped around him from all four directions. As they spun faster, they began to close in around him and formed a chain that bound Abbadon's arms down against his body. "This cannot be!"

Then without warning, all the second set of Clow Cards that the children had fought so long collecting, including Hitori's, flew from their pockets and surrounded the Dark Lord. Glowing white as well, they spun around the bound Abbadon until a similar black hole that was used to seal his Black Sun monsters began opened beneath him.

"I will come back and get my revenge!" He promised.

"Not this time." Eriol raised his staff and slowly it glowed a deadly red. Abbadon was surrounded by the same red field and was sucked down into his own hellish creation. "Be gone demon!" Eriol blasted the hole as soon as Abbadon was securely through and rocks flew everywhere as the hole disappeared.

Not having their cards anymore, Meeko and Akiko fell from the sky. Shijni flew down and caught Meeko before she hurt herself. And Makoto broke Akiko's fall but it was assumed he meant to catch her as well.

"Are you okay, Makoto-kun!?" Akiko asked worriedly as she slowly got off him.

Moaning, Makoto got to his knees and nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I'll be alright."

Meeko blushed madly in Shinji's arms as he lowered her down to the ground. "So, this is it huh?" He asked sadly.

"Now everything can go back to normal!" Meeko agreed. But when Shinji sighed, she cocked her head curiously. _What's bothering him?_

Tomoyo returned the next day with two trophies from her performance. Everyone through a party for her success and their success from Abbadon's downfall. She was happy to see all was well, but later complained she wished she had been able to record it.

"I'm sorry I wasn't ready for it mom!" Akiko apologized.

Hugging her daughter lovingly, Tomoyo replied. "That's okay. I'm sure we have enough from before to make an awesome video!"

"Right!" Akiko agreed.

Makoto sighed and took a sip of his soda. "Like mother like daughter."

Sakura giggled and agreed. "You have no idea."

Laying back with his arms behind his head, Syaoran smirked cockily. "Well that's one adventure I would like to never have happen again."

"It's not like you did anything to help!" Kero accused, stuffing muffins into his mouth.

"What!? I'll have you know I played a very important role in this!" The Li Clan leader countered.

"Yes, I'm afraid to say he did." Eriol backed up him.

Eyeing the reincarnation suspiciously, Syaoran said, "Don't think you're off the hook yet. We still have to talk about that whole judgment – forgetting to block the pain thing."

Upon hearing this Ruby Moon giggled. "It's nothing you couldn't handle I'm sure!"

"T-that's not the point!" Syaoran countered.

Sitting lazily on his master's knee, Suppi looked up from his newspaper. "Then why are you complaining?"

Everyone broke out in laughs, except Syaoran of course, who crossed his arms and went to get something more to eat.

Out on the balcony of Eriol's mansion, Touya, Kaho, and Yukito conversed. "Things don't seem to be as exciting as they were before, huh?" The snow bunny commented.

Touya looked out at the once again peaceful town. "No, I guess not. Maybe we should go back to the city."

"Your little sister will be missed, but we can visit for the holidays." Kaho tried to calm his sadness.

Smiling, Touya nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

Meeko, who didn't feel like joining in the festivities, sat outside on the porch. Noticing her absence, Sakura went out to talk to her. "What's the matter dear?"

Looking up, Meeko began to cry. "It's Shinji. Yue said since everything's over, he's going back home!"

Sakura knew how her daughter felt and knew what had to be done. "Aren't you going to tell him how you feel?"

Meeko hiccupped and tried to whip away her tears. "His flight leaves in ten minutes. There's no way I'd make it in time! Why didn't he tell me?"

"Well, that's a question you'll have to ask him yourself." Sakura said, handing her daughter a card.

Meeko took it and frowned. "Hope?"

Nodding, Sakura explained. "Long ago after I finished changing the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, your father was called back home to finish his duties in the clan. He didn't tell me when he was leaving but I knew I had to be with him."

"What happened?" Meeko asked.

Sakura smiled in memory. "Thinking of him, my pure thoughts formed the Sakura Card love. It was then I knew what I felt for him and ran to see him before he left. That card you hold now is what the love card changed into after sometime." Sakura left out the entire story of the Void Card, because right now, what was more important was her daughter's love.

"How does it work?" The young cardcaptor asked.

Shrugging, Sakura smiled and stood up. "Try it out. Think of the one you love most and keep them close to your heart and who knows what might happen." Then she retreated back indoors.

Looking at the card, Meeko held it close to her heart. "I want to be with Shinji. I want to be with him…" She paused as she smiled. "Because I love him."

The Clow Card symbol light up beneath her and Meeko felt her body get lighter. The wind picked up and when she opened her eyes again, she was at the airport!

"Shinji-kun!" She exclaimed, immediately seeing the white haired youth with his luggage in line.

Turning around in surprise, Shinji barely had time to react before Meeko jumped into his arms. "W-what are you doing here!?"

Fighting back her tears, Meeko hide her face in his chest. "I…I don't want you to go Shinji-kun!" Looking up, Meeko stared truthfully into his eyes. "I love you."

Shinji thought his heart would burst out of his chest at the confession. "Oh Meeko!" Then he wrapped her up in his strong arms and whispered back into her ear. "I love you too. More than anything."

Pulling away, Meeko had to ask. "Then stay. Stay with me here."

Smiling at how cute she looked when she was scared, Shinji nodded. "As you wish." Then he bent down and gave her a kiss on the lips.

Happy tears fell down Meeko's face. _Thanks mom. Now Shinji and I will be together forever…_

Over behind a pole, Akiko, Tomoyo, Eriol and his guardians, Sakura, Syaoran and Kero all smirked as both Akiko and Tomoyo recorded the precious moments. "Is this how it was like for us?" Syaoran whispered.

Everyone shushed him, but Sakura giggled and replied. "Yes, and I wouldn't have traded it for the world."

THE END


End file.
